


Every One Gather Around For A Show

by Dun_with_Life



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Blood and Violence, Cannibalism, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Graphic Violence, Insanity, Kid Fic, M/M, Murder, Murder Family, Psychological Drama, Running Away, Slight Smut, Suicide Attempt, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-13 03:52:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 31,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12975285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dun_with_Life/pseuds/Dun_with_Life
Summary: Tyler is eleven when he makes his first kill.Tyler never wanted to hurt anybody.





	1. An introduction

The needle behind the fogged up glass hits the 70 mark as the outrageous heat outside radiates from the roof of Ashley's red pickup. She's barely letting her boyfriend keep focus on the road, Her soft lips peck blissfully against his, Her hand keeps pulling his head to hers with a sweet chuckle. "Ashley, Please..." "What?" She laughs, Her cheeks flush a bight pink color.  
  
"I don't want to wait until after your stupid frat party, I want you now." Jed's head pulls away with a huff. "Ashley, You can wait. Seriously, I get the whole hormones going crazy shit but I don't think you need to get off _that_ bad." She slumps back in her seat with her arms crossed. Her eyes avert to her green plaid skirt and she flattens it out. "I don't get why you're being stuck up like this." She sighs, Jed shakes his head in disbelief at her words. "Whatever."  
  
His head turns over to see her, Her eyes averting to the corn maze beside her with tears filling to the br of her big, golden eyes. His fingers turn her head towards him again and he places a soft kiss to her lips. Ashley smiles against his skin, Her honeycomb eyes open and just from a small glimpse she can see a figure in the road, Lying on the dusty pavement. "JED!" She shrieks, Jed quickly pulls away and grips the wheel to turn sharply. Their car brakes and just about sends Ashley into the dash. "What the hell was that?!" Jed screams, Ashley opens her door and walks down the empty street and over to the figure. "Hello?"  
  
The dirty cow skin drapes off of the body of a slim little boy with a hollow skull of some sort of animal with the rotting, hollow flesh still remaining on the bone. "Help me." He whimpers before darting into the tall maze of corn beside him. Ashley tucks her licorice hair behind her ear with confusion before looking back to Jed who is now walking from the car, Clearly pissed off from his hand gestures.  
  
"Ashley, Get back in the car!" She shakes her head as she takes a few steps back. "N-No, I think something's wrong." She murmurs before running after the boy. She ignores Jed's angered calls after her and she stays focused on the figure, His small legs running as far as they can take him. "Hey! Let me help you!" She shouts, He whines audibly before taking a sharp turn out of the field.  
  
Ashley takes a deep breath as she looks around for the little boy once more. Small whispers lurk from the tall plants before she cautiously walks in the direction the boy went. A tall, old, and worn out barn standing out beside some rusty tractors and dead grass. The yard reeks of cheep alcohol, Manure and rotting meat. All of which seem to be wafting from the barn, Her fragile legs shake with fear as she makes her way towards the building. The grass beneath her cracks with each step, Her throat feels dry and her stomach jerks at the stench as it gets stronger.  
  
All light feels abandoned as she steps inside, The heads of lifeless animals hang from ropes. No sign of the young boy anywhere.  
  
"Kid! Are you in here?" Her eyes scan over bone scattering the bloody hay beneath her white tennis shoes. She tears up and shutters with fear as she figures out they aren't there for Halloween decoration. "Oh, God. Please, Come out! I want to help!" She screams as one of the empty carcasses fall from the ceiling.  
  
"Mistake." The small, fragile voice comes from the young boy, He's short and skinny, Ashley can count each individual rib sticking through his pale skin. "Oh, Shit. H-Hey, There...I'm Ashley, I just want to help you." She hesitates before walking near him. The boy pulls the skull from his head and shows his scraped up and dirty face, His hair is brunette and messy and his eyes are stone cold.

He shakes his head and she stop walking. Tears fall from her cheeks as she stands still in terror. "What's wrong? Who hurt you?" He sighs as the ground beneath her shakes, Her eyes widen as she looks down. Her mouth opens with an ear piercing shriek erupting through her pale lips as the ground gives way and she falls down, down, down.  
  
She coughs heavily as sharp metal from broken down farm equipment pierces her flesh, Blood pours from her mouth and her joints twist the ways they shouldn't. She looks up with terrified eyes as the boy stares down at her a tall, slender, blonde woman pats his back. "Good job, Darlin'." Her southern accent is thick and she looks purely insane. Ashley looks at her dismembered body and tries to desperately suck down her last breaths of air as the two strangers above watch her suffer.  
  
"Now, Baby." She mutters, The boy walks off and Ashley watches as an old, rusty engine of some sort of tractor attached to a single rope slowly juts about before dropping on top of her with fortitude and crushes the girl to mush. "Go get 'er bones so we can hang 'em in our torture room. We got us some company back at the house." Kelly speaks to her son with no remorse.  
  
Tyler never wanted to hurt people.

* * *

Warm, candle light ignites the unlit room as Chris, Zack, and Kelly sing Happy Birthday flatly. Tyler stares at his candles, He studies the way the fire dances on the thin sticks of wax and he thinks of any wish he desires.  
  
Tyler closes his eyes and blows out the candles, He watches the smoke erupt from the distinguished flame and evaporate once it hits the rotting ceiling. "What'd you wish for, Boy?" His father asks.  
  
Oh, Tyler looks up with desperate puppy eyes. "If you tell people your wishes, they don't come true." Chris scoffs, "Blasphemy." Kelly grabs a heavy object from under the table. "Happy Birthday, Tyler." She smiles with pure insanity as she lays a brand-new sledgehammer upon the table with a bright, pink bow placed on it's handle. "I reckon you already know how to use it." Tyler frowns as he grabs the heavy weapon and follows his mother into the back room, The young girl's freshly dried bones are placed in a shape of a pentagram beside the jock from her truck.  
  
Chris found him calling the police shortly after the girl ran after Tyler, One clock to the back of his head with the end of his favorite rifle is all it took to knock the boy out. Now he sits with his mouth duck-taped shut and his hands tied behind his back as he screams in a old and bloodied up chair. His eyes are wide open with fear, This isn't the first time Tyler's seen an innocent like this.  
  
But it is his first time finishing the job.  
  
Kelly helps Tyler hold up the tool and she rips the bow off, Tyler holds the weapon high above his head, Ready to swing. He walks over towards the teen and watches him squirm desperately, His screams become horrid as he rips his vocal chords, His wrists become bloody from too much friction from his rope burn, His chest heaves as Tyler throws his arms down and the metal busts open the man's skull and he watches they way it tears his flesh away and his red, thick, blood oozes out. His body shakes and his eyes roll into the back of his head and Tyler hopes the man is dreaming.  
  
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before bringing the hammer above his head again and swings the hammer as if it were a baseball bat, Jed's jaw gets smacked clean off, His flesh dangles grossly and his blood pours onto the floor.  
  
Some blood splatters out onto Tyler's face and he feels something strange. A feeling he shouldn't like. He growls as he gives Jed one last hard blow to the head. A satisfying crack followed by some brain particles flying onto his feet then Tyler drops to his knees...And he cries, He watches the blood dripping onto the brown-stained pavement below him and he weeps.  
  
His mother scoffs and unties the man's lifeless corpse, She pushes his body on top of Tyler's and laughs hysterically as Tyler screams. He can see the color drain from his face and he loves it. He loves the sight of someone fill with fear before finally bleeding out and sobbing as they die but Tyler knows this isn't right. He cries and cries as he pushes the jock off of his body and he looks at the blood covering his own pale skin.  
  
Chris looks at Tyler with fury in his eyes as his fist tightens around a knife. "You gonna help your mother cut him up or what?" That's the final straw for Tyler. He stands up and bites his cheek until it bleeds. He's furious, He's done all this before but today, it feels different.  
  
"I wasted my wish." Zack turns his head to his father then to Tyler, Chris points the blade at Tyler and raises his eyebrows. "What did you say to me?" Tyler smacks the knife from his fathers hand and screams. "I should've wished that you people would just be fucking normal!" Kelly gasps, "We are just as sane as the rest of that world out there! Don't you dare try to tell me that we're different than those bankrupt cocksuckers livin' out in fancy mansions and sucking down expensive cuisine meals! I'm raising you the way god intended me to, you ungrateful brat!"  
  
Tyler sleeps in the shed that night.

* * *

Bill unlocks his front door and is immediately embraced by his youngest daughter, Abigail. "I missed you so much, daddy!" She smiles widely as she squeezes her father's waist. He laughs and easily picks her up and settles her on his hip. His youngest son, Josh, Is sitting on couch and picking at his cuticles. "What's wrong, Joshua?" Bill asks as he walks into the living room. Josh looks up with worried eyes. "Jedidiah hasn't came home yet. He said he'd be back by five and he won't answer his phone." Bill sets Abby down and sits beside Josh. "It'll be okay, Joshua. He probably stayed over at Ashley's." Josh shakes his head.  
  
"He promised he'd come home, He promised! Dad, He always picks up...Y-You're the sheriff, You can find him!" Bill chuckles heartily. "He's not missing, Joshua. He's just out." Josh stands up.  
  
"No, He went over to a party near that hick town where people keep ending up missing. They're missing, dad! And Jed went out there!" He begins to cry as his anxiety gets the best of him. Bill stands up and holds his son close to him. "I promise nothing bad has or will happen to him. If it makes you feel any better, I'll go out there tomorrow and investigate If he doesn't show by eight tomorrow morning." Josh nods with tears streaming down his cheeks. "Please, Find him. I want him safe."

* * *

Four other station cars are parked, Blocking off the dusty road. Bill stares at the dried blood stain on the side of the door despite the pickup already being red, He recognizes it's Ashley's from the dent in the front bumper and her old and now unscented, rose car freshener. He observes his surroundings and punches the vehicle, Nothing but rows of corn for miles.  
  
He should've listened to Josh. He might've found him sooner.

* * *

Tyler has his eyes closed as he thinks of the color red. He thinks of everyone he's hurt, Is this really what god intended? He never wanted to hurt people...He can barley think without the thought of causing fear and complete havoc. He wants to stand above someone and watch the fear in their eyes turn glossy as they realize they're not going to live.  
  
He wants to bruise someone until they're crying themselves to exhaustion. He wants to wipe the smile off of someone's stupid face and suck their blood straight from their veins until they turns white as paper and their lips turn blue like they sky.  
  
Tyler lifts his head as he hears the sound of the locks on the outside of the shed being unlocked. Kelly stands in the doorway with her arms crossed and an angry expression on her face. Tyler squints as he crawls out into the new found light on all fours, He sniffs at the fresh air with delight. The shed is filled with the ripped up, bloody clothes from each one of their victims and he's never loved anything more. "You learned your lesson?" She asks with an uncaring and monotone voice.  
  
Tyler hisses at her before bolting into the woods behind their house. Kelly curses and screams at Tyler but never chases after him. Tyler runs until his lungs burn and his legs ache, Tears are pouring from his eyes as he whimpers.  _I'm not normal, I'm not normal. I'm not normal_. He repeats it over and over in his head.  
  
His train of thought derails as he trips over a tree root and tumbles over, Sharp tree bark scraps his knees open and dried twigs dig into his boney ribcage. He groans in pain as he lies still on his back, He stares at the trees above him and watches the clouds roll through the bright blue sky. He wants to be normal. "I'm crazy...I'm fucking crazy." He cries to himself, He hugs his body and rolls over onto his side.   
  
It takes him hours to finally stand on his feet and limp back to the house, His family didn't even notice he's been gone. They all just sit in the kitchen and cut up the young girl's meat that is somehow still fresh. They've already cut up most of Ashley's body and preserved it in the freezer. "Momma, I'm sorry what I said. I don't want to be normal." She nods her head and continues chopping up her muscles and tucking them into a set of Tupper-wear and handing it to Zack to put into the freezer.

* * *

Tyler is at school when he decides he wants to see more blood, Precisely from his friend, Mark. He wants to see him bleed.  
  
Mark is innocent like the rest of them, He doesn't have a clue what's going to happen. Tyler has nothing against him, He's probably the only person at his school that doesn't treat him like the animal he is. Usually a kid named Billy pushes Tyler down in the halls and nitpick him about his dirty clothes and call him a pig for living on a farm far from the school district, Of course this had to be a school full of pretentious, rich assholes that only have friends that use them for activity.  
  
Matter of fact, Mark stood up for Tyler when Billy held Tyler against his will in the bathroom and tried to force him to eat a raw pork chop.  
  
Tyler watches him at lunch, Tyler is sitting on the floor alone with Zack as he watches Mark eat and chat with his buddies, Tyler would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous of the interaction.  
  
Zack leans over to see what Tyler is looking at and he shakes his head. "Why don't you go hang out with him...I'll be okay here." Tyler shakes his head, "I don't want to hang out with him...I want to hurt him." Zack's eyebrows furrow with worry and he looks back at Mark. "Tyler, Remember what mother said. You can't break in public." Tyler turns his body to his younger brother. His cheeks flush red as Tyler's dilated eyes burn holes through his skin before he growls lowly and pushes Zack's shoulder. "Mother won't know unless you tell her." His head shoots up as the bell rings, Every body runs outside and Tyler loses track of Mark. He curses to himself before getting up and running outside, Zack sighs as he throws his tray away and follows Tyler outside.  
  
Tyler follows Mark to the playground and he sits on the swing set, His legs sway in the air and Mark slides down the big, red slide.  
  
_Red._  
  
Mark walks over to Tyler with a happy smile. "Hey, Ty! Where've you been? Didn't see you at lunch." Tyler stops his swing and bites his tongue. "Sorry, I didn't eat today. I feel sick." Mark shrugs. "It's alright, Wanna play tag?" Tyler nods. Mark pokes Tyler's shoulder and shouts "Tag!" He runs put into the field of children and laughs, Tyler thinks about bruises again, He thinks about what he thought of in the shed as he watches Mark running. He wants to hurt Mark just as he imagined, He walks at an antagonizing slow pace behind him before growling low and growing a quickening pace.  
  
He chases after Mark with all of his force, Mark screams with laughter as Tyler gets closer. Tyler isn't planning on poking Mark when he catches him.  
  
Tyler tackles Mark to the ground, He pins his arm above his head. Mark squirms with confusion. "Tyler, Let go..." He mutters over and over until he has to shout. "Tyler, Let go!"  Tyler's grip tightens as he stares into Mark's eyes. "I wanna see you bleed." He whispers. "W-What?" Mark screams as Tyler uses his teeth to rip the flesh clean off of his wrist. Tyler's crooked teeth find his veins and chew on them like they were candy, Mark shrieks as Tyler feeds on his blood. "Tyler!" He recognizes the voice of his teacher, Mrs. Stewart.  
  
She screams in horror at the sight of Mark's body bleeding out and his blood dripping from Tyler's lips. "Tyler, What did you do?!" She runs to Mark's aid but Tyler defends. He jumps to his feet and bites at the air. The woman shakes in horror at the monster he's become, He looks back down at Mark and shakes his head before running back towards home, He never looks back. Not even after Zack yells after him or after the horrified screams of the rest of the children when they see their friend dead on the ground.

* * *

Tyler is squealing in pain, His father has him bent over on his knee and he's whipping his ass raw with his leather belt. "Do you have any idea what kind of position you put us in, Tyler?! If the police come here, They'll take you away. They're gonna take your momma away, What about Zack? Did you even think for a split second about the consequences?!" His mother yells, Tyler has tears dripping from his face onto the wooden floor below. "I'm sorry!"  
  
"Sorry won't cut it, Boy. You want them to find all those dead bodies?! You want them to take you away?!" Her yelling goes fades from anger to fear, They never surrender to the feeling of fear. Tyler's never seen her so fragile. Chris looks up at her and scoffs. "Get it together, Kelly, For Christ sake. You're sounding like-" "Like what?! What do you wanna say to me now? Hmm? Wanna call me my mother again?! You want me to cry on my knees to you, too?" Chris throws Tyler off from his lap and corners Kelly and Tyler watches her shrink up in her place.  
  
"Papa!" Tyler screams but it seems that no one hears him, Zack watches with wide eyes from the top of the steps as Chris hauls off and hits Kelly. The animal in the both of them become unleashed and they both scratch and claw at each other, Kelly's nails dig into Chris' cheek and his blood drips down her fingers. However it doesn't stop him from gripping her hair and forcing her skull to the wall.  
  
Once, Twice, Three, Four times before a hole breaks through the wallpaper, a large bruise forms on her forehead and a brief nose bleed, before her eyes shut and her body goes limp. She falls to the floor and Chris looks up to his bawling children. "Go back upstairs."  
  
Tyler stands up and charges towards his father, His arms punch at his body with rage. Chris is far more stronger than Tyler and he easily pushes him down to his bruised bottom. Tyler whines in pain before Chris' heavy footsteps come close to his body. "It was not a suggestion It was a goddamn command! get your ass upstairs!" Tyler stands up once more and he bites his father's hand, Not hard enough to break his skin but enough to make him yell and back hand Tyler.  
  
He runs upstairs and drags his brother into his room, Tyler hides between his dresser and his wall and holds his small hands over his ears as he cries. "Did he kill her? Is he going to bury, Momma? Is he going to make us cut her up?" Tyler panics. Zack puts a hand on Tyler but he screams and pushes it back. "Don't touch me! It hurts! God, It hurts so bad! Zack, Make it stop!"  
  
Zack panics, His hands shake as he looks around the room for a cup of water or just something that would help. "Wh-What hurts?" Tyler's back arches and his muscles ache. "My head! My head hurts! Make it stop!" He holds his forehead and screams about. Zack thinks about his mother.

 

* * *

 Zack sits with his knees up to his chest and watches Tyler sleep. His father is walking up the stairs, His steps are slow and heavy. Zack heart starts beating out of his chest as he stops at the door. The sun is rising and Tyler is snoring, Zack stands up and opens the door. Chris is staring at Tyler and he pulls Zack out from the room. "Your mother wants to see you." Zack runs down the stairs and sits on the couch, Kelly is still lying on the floor but she's stirring about. She murmuring something under her breath that makes her laugh.  
  
"Zacky? Is that you?" Zack nods and she smiles with her yellow-teeth. "C'mere, baby." Zack walks over to his mother and drops to his knees. She sighs as she sits up. "Go get your switchblade and wait by the road, Momma wants a distraction today." Zack sighs and runs back to his room and grabs his knife. Sometimes he wishes they were normal too.

* * *

Tyler can hear a girl screaming downstairs, He can imagine his father dragging her into the basement as she kicks at the air and squirms. He can't see her but she sounds really young. Her cries and screams are really high and it doesn't sound like much of a fight. Tyler stands up from his hiding place, His knees crack and his legs ache from sitting there so long but it doesn't stop him from walking downstairs and knocking on the basement door. Kelly opens it and glares at Tyler, "Where were you?" Tyler opens his mouth to speak but Kelly ignores him and drags him down the stairs.  
  
Tyler stares blankly with surprise, The girl appears to be around eleven. Tyler's pretty sure he sits next to her in science. They've never captured someone so young, Usually aim for the airheaded teens or the wasted adults surfing through the corn mazes. Kelly smacks the back of Zack's head and shakes her own. "Tyler could've gotten a better catch. Why do you always disappoint me, Zack?" Zack frowns and his grip on his knife tightens. Tyler can see the fire burning behind his iris', He can see his front breaking and crumbling before his very feet.  
  
"I'm not a disappointment." He mumbles. Kelly's eyes widen as she scoffs. "Excuse me?" Zack lunges forward and slices the young girl's throat open, Her blood soaks her body like a red cloak and Zack throws his knife at the wall. "I am not a disappointment!" He tries to run upstairs but Kelly grabs the back of his shirt and pulls him back down. He hits his head on the concreate and groans, Kelly stares at him like he was a meal. "Momma?" Tyler whines, He enjoys watching someone in pain but he's pretty sure his brother is the only person his heart strings are still attached to. Everyone else's have been cut and left astray like an old, dirty puppet.  
  
Tyler looks up at the ceiling as he hears something upstairs. Loud noises coming from far down the road followed by the engine of a car. "Momma..." Three hard knocks come shortly after. Kelly kicks at Zack's ribs and she orders Chris to find his knife. "You ruined everything! I hate you!" Kelly screams as foam coats her lips like a rabid animal. Zack's eyes widen as Kelly's hands wrap around his neck and squeeze his air straight from his lungs. "Mom!" Tyler yells again, Chris grabs the blade and walks around Zack and Kelly.  
  
Tyler runs upstairs and steps on his tippy-toes to reach the lock on the door, He twists the door knob and is met with a tall officer. His badge reads "Sheriff Dun" Tyler gulps and looks at the other cars. His voice is as weak as his knees when he speaks. "Hello..." Tyler's heart beats faster and faster as he thinks about the cop, Mostly what could be happening to Zack. The lack of sound scares him even more.  
  
"Are your parents home? I'd like to ask them a few questions." The sheriff speaks with a smile.  
  
"About?"  
  
"Look, Kid. I don't have all day." That's when Zack screams bloody murder from the basement, Tyler whips his head around and tears fall from his cheeks. The sheriff grips his gun and walks inside. Tyler follows after him and cries. "Wait, Wait, Wait! Please don't hurt him!" He shouts to his mother through the floorboards. Tyler falls to his knees and holds his stomach, He feels a sharp pain lining from his chest to his belly button. He feels like he's being gutted.  
  
Another scream followed by Kelly's laughter. "No one can hear you screaming, boy! You're wasting your breath!" She shouts. The sheriff runs to the basement door and twists the handle, To no surprise, It's locked. He steps back before kicking it down and pulling his gun out. "Step away from the child and put your hands in the air!" He shouts. Kelly's laughing stops. All Tyler can hear is Zack's crying.  
  
He curls up on his floor and sobs, His shaky breathing is all he can hear, He can't hear another voice speaking. Not even a single footstep, Everything feels like it ceased to exist. He feels like he's floating, He feels alone.  
  
The sheriff comes up with Kelly, Her eyes are furious and her hands are behind her back. "Fuck you, Tyler!" She spits sourly, The words barley hurt Tyler at this point. Words are just words, It isn't a sign of defense or even power. Kelly shouts again as she squirms in the sheriff's grasp. "You know the goddamn rules! You let 'em in! It's all your fault!" Tyler looks up and watches as he drags her into the back of his car. Zack comes upstairs with an officer, His shirt is gone and his chest is scratched up. His stomach is slightly cut open. A straight surgical line that he's sure his father cut.  
  
He's crying as he holds his wound.  
  
The sheriff kneels beside Tyler and takes a deep breath. "Am I going to be taken away?" Zack asks from behind the both of them. Bill covers his mouth at the boy's worried tone, Both kids don't look any older than his own. "I can't promise you much." Zack whimpers as the officer takes him outside. Bill looks back to Tyler with a sympathetic smile. "This is no situation for a little boy. How old are you, son?"  
  
Tyler sits up further with an angry expression.  
  
"I'm not your son." He hisses with furrowed eyebrows and a motive.  
  
"I know that..."  
  
"I'm eleven, Was my birthday last month."  
  
Bill chuckles to try and cease the tension. "That's great...What'd you get for your birthday?"  
  
"A sledgehammer. I got to kill someone. My momma said I wasn't old enough before. She wanted me to feel like I fit in, She wants me to paint the streets with the blood of a bastard." Bill's throat dries up. "You...You killed someone?"  
  
Tyler nods. "Yes, Killed dozens actually. Just this one I finished off myself, Don't tell momma I told you." Bill turns around and runs a hand through his hair. "I won't...What did they look like?"  
  
"I killed a boy, He was tall, He had brown hair, and a letterman jacket. Could tell he was probably a cocky son of a bitch...But he had a girl with him."  
  
"Can you describe the girl?"  
  
"She had short, brown hair, and she had freckles...she was wearing a skirt if that helps?" Bill nods. "Fuck...Did...Did your family kill her?" Tyler shakes his head.  
  
"I killed them both." Bill stands up and takes a deep breath. "We cut them up and put them in the freezer. Dried up their bones and hung 'em up in the basement. Momma hides their valuables in the shed but we usually kill 'em out in the barn." Bill's wide eyes look at Tyler. "Where's this barn, exactly?"  
  
"It's where we kill 'em, A few miles south. Over by the roads, It's hidden beyond the corn mazes." Bill's world is spinning around him. "Come on, Son. We're gonna clean you up." Tyler hesitates before standing up and following the stranger into his car. He closes his eyes and tries to ignore his mother cursing at him in the backseat.

* * *

"Did they find dad?" Tyler asks. Zack and him are in the sheriff's office, It's the first time Tyler's taken a shower in months. They're both wearing new clothes and feel uncomfortable and alone. Zack shrugs.  
  
"Dad ran when he heard the knob twisting. He went out through the cellar door. He was trying to gut me alive, Tyler...He ran off like a coward. I don't know what we're gonna do, now." Tyler watches Zack cry and he rolls his eyes. He doesn't understand why Zack would be upset, That place was toxic. "Man up, You pussy. What ever happens...It happens." Zack is only nine, Tyler should be nicer about this. He feels no remorse.  
  
A tall woman with blonde hair cut to her shoulders and soft, porcelain skin that Tyler would love to carve like a pumpkin, walks in with a folder full of papers that Tyler doesn't care about. She sits beside them and smiles sympathetically, "Hey, Guys...I'm Karen Wiegman. I work for the child protection services and I'm here to talk about a few things that happened today. Is that okay?" Tyler looks away, He stays silent. Mother always said if they told, they'd be separated. It doesn't seem like they have a choice but he already knows Zack won't be punished the way Tyler will.  
  
They'll think he's crazy, won't they? Hell, He can't blame them. He feels crazy. He's completely lost his mind, Zack tells the woman everything she has to know. Tyler stirs his head around in anger as Zack cries about all of the people Tyler and him lured out to their house and watched Chris and Kelly torture them for hours on end before finally killing them and making Zack the one to cut their remains up to harvest. Tyler doesn't see a problem, It's normal...Isn't it? It's normal for them, He's already decided he doesn't want to be normal like the rest of the world, They're all bland clones with no personality but all the money in world.  
  
The woman looks to Tyler and sighs before holding Zack's hand and walking him out of the room. Tyler is alone again.  
  
Tyler misses Zack.  
  
God, He misses him.

* * *

Flashlight beams light up the basement, Bill and three other officers are investigating the area. EMT's clean up the young girl's body and tuck her away in a body bag before wheeling her into the back of their ER truck. There are a million other places Bill would rather be right now, The scowling smell of piss and rotting flesh stain the walls and it's so foul everyone had to evacuate the room so they wouldn't vomit.  
  
Bill was the last to exit, He steps out through the slider door near the backyard and he wipes the sweat from his forehead. He's breathing heavily as he processes what Tyler told him, It couldn't have been Jed...Could it? Bill shakes his head with disbelief, It's just a crazy coincidence.  
  
The small light above the shed door flicks on as it does every night at nine. It's not even a suspicious matter but something about the dim light above the shed makes Bill's skin crawl, It's unprofessional to not inform his crew of his intentions but he slowly walks up to the door and withdraws his gun and flashlight. The aroma is something so foul Bill doesn't even want to go further.  
  
He takes a deep breath before kicking the door in, He gags as the scent intensifies. Flies buzz around inside and spiders creep out from the door, Bill brings his light up to help his vision but drops it as soon as he spots a body. He bends over and fumbles to grab the object, He finally holds a stable grasp on it before standing back up and investigating. His heart drops as he looks at maggots eating away at Jed's exposed brain, His flesh is torn and rotting. He's tied to a wooden cross like Jesus and his clothes are on the floor, bloody and full of maggots. Jed has the word "Degenerate" carved into his chest.  
  
"JED!" Bill runs to his deceased son and cries, He unties his wrists and holds him to close to his chest. Bill falls to his knees and cries. "No, No, No. You...You can't leave me too. I'm sorry I didn't find you soon enough. I...Goddammit." He sobs harder than he did when Laura passed away. She died shortly after giving birth to Abigail, Josh always believed she was just asleep and was coming home soon, God, Bill doesn't know how Josh is going to handle this.  
  
Bill looks up to see that shiny, new sledgehammer Tyler told him about and he screams. He screams with loss and angry evaporating from his breath, It doesn't take long for someone to come near with a flashlight and alerting more. He can't lose him too, He just can't.  


* * *

*****  


* * *

The confetti decorated wax on top of a red velvet cake are shaped in the numbers **26** and Tyler smiles for the first time for a while. Tyler's therapist and his best friend, Jenna, Are singing Happy Birthday to him in his room he's learned to hate. The white walls make him feel crazy, He's always hated being alone. The way they sing makes Tyler some how feel at home, He doesn't have much memory about where he came from or anyone from his family but he does remember they never sang happy birthday so happily.  
  
Tyler closes his eyes and blows out his candles. Jenna sits criss-cross on the floor as their doctors grabs a knife and cuts them each a slice before leaving the room. Tyler's therapist, Ms. Proctor, sits on Tyler's bed and holds her notebooks close to her as she watches the two. "What'd you wish for, Ty guy." Jenna giggles. Tyler looks up with a small smile. "I wished to be normal." Ms. Proctor frowns as Tyler smiles back at her.  
  
He takes a bite of the desert and closes his eyes. "Mm, This is probably the best thing I've ever tasted." Jenna scoffs while scratching her dirty blonde hair. "You don't like their applesauce? Or at least the oatmeal?" Tyler shakes his head. "They're so...bland, Lack of flavor." Jenna laughs. "Okay, Didn't know you were a perfectionist for food." Tyler ignores her a shoves another fork-full into his mouth and he savors the sweet, sweet icing.  
  
Jenna is only nineteen, She doesn't qualify as crazy in Tyler's book. She has schizophrenia and has been insomniac for years, Her mother thought this was the answer but not quite. She isn't getting the proper help here in a run-down looney asylum.  
  
Tyler loves when her family visits, She always get so excited to see her sister and her mother. Tyler's never had a visitor. He hopes he'll get one some day.  
  
The cake disappears sooner than Tyler would like but he's still thankful. He stands up and sits beside Ms. Proctor as Jenna grabs their plates and leaves to her own room for the night. Tyler loves when Ms. Proctor is with him, Not only because she's the only one he trusts to talk to besides Jenna. But because she always has bright jewelry, Her neon jewels distract him from the plain, white walls that scream that he's alone every day.  
  
Her make-up is always simple and soft, A bright shade a cyan coats her eyelids and a bright, pastel matte lipstick make her teeth look brighter than usual. "How are you feeling today, Tyler." Tyler sighs. "I'm...I just want to go home. I don't even know where that is but I don't want to be here anymore. I want to know who my family is, I want to see the outside world...I don't want to be treated like I'm sick. I'm fine...I just want to feel happy." He cries into his pillow as Ms. Proctor rubs his back. "It's okay, Tyler."  
  
He shakes his head and sits up with disbelief. "You say that but it never is. I cry myself to sleep, I pinch myself hoping that this is all a dream but I feel so alone. You say I'm not alone but I'm the only one here for me. When I'm still awake at midnight, When I'm crying and wishing I were dead...I'm the only one hearing my tears, The only person who knows. You don't care for me, I get it. You get paid to be here...To understand me. but you don't understand me. You don't know me like I know me. You say I'm a good kid but I feel like a monster, I must've been crazy enough for my family to just dump me away and never look back." He screams, His face is red and his hands cover his face as he sobs harder.  
  
Ms. Proctor wraps her arms around him and she continues to rub his back. "Why don't they love me?"

* * *

 

 


	2. Our Hometown’s In The Dark

This is probably the first time Tyler’s gotten sleep since he watched his mom murder a pregnant woman. It was the first kill that ever made him uneasy. Kelly found her near the airport, Looking for anyone who’d help since her water broke. Kelly picked her up in Chris’s beaten down pickup with a promise to the hospital, instead she drove her to their barn. Tyler remembers his mother beating her with a rusty pipe until herfesh tore.

She took a switchblade she found on the road a while back and sliced her buldging stomach open and stole her baby from her gut. The baby wails loudly and Kelly groans. “Hey, maybe we can make ‘im one of us dontcha think?” She asks Tyler as she sets the child down besides his dead mother. Tyler shrugs as Kelly looks at him. “He needs a name.”

”Zack.”

 

* * *

 

 

"Ms. Proctor, Your request is insane, I'm afraid I'm going to have to deny it." James Waller, The head of the FPE asylum, Speaks to the woman. His glasses are tilted down the bridge of his big, oily nose. Ms. Proctor frowns before scoffing. "It's not insane, Tyler has improved since he arrived. It's been 5 years, He's suffering from PTSD. The poor kid barely remembers his past, He doesn't even remember his family but you're going to deny my request to let him eat in the cafeteria with the other patients? He's been cooped up in that small white room forever, It's unfair to him." James chuckles and shakes his head. "Sharon, Just go home. His illness is effecting you."  
  
Sharon scoffs again, She glares his green eyes at the man and lays her hand down forcefully on his desk. **"Are you out of your fucking mind?"** James looks up from his files with wide eyes. "Excuse me?" He sits up further in his seat.  "You're just as crazy as the rest of 'em. That boy is so fragile, He needs interaction. Jenna isn't old enough to help him and I don't have all day to be his overseer. Give him-" "I will give him nothing and It will stay that way! If he wanted to be normal so bad he shouldn't have murdered those people. The blood of innocents are on his hands and he will pay his discipline locked in that room until he dies and burns in hell with the rest of them." He shouts so cold heartily. Sharon's eyes water up and she retreats from his desk. "You make me sick." She hisses as she leaves his office.

* * *

 **Bill's POV**  
  
It took so long for the realization to hit. He lost his son, His oldest son, to an eleven year old lunatic. He went home a broken man that night, His co-workers suggested he took a week or two off but he can't find himself ever wanting to come back. He drives home with an empty feeling in his heart, He doesn't know how he'll ever tell Josh. Jed has always been Josh's role model, friend, and caretaker. It's going to break him, Probably worse than it is to Bill.  
  
He had to sit down on his front step and smoke 5 cigarettes to finally gather his mind and walk inside. Josh is waiting on the couch, Biting his nails and humming a song Bill can't remember the name of but he knew it was one Jed loved. Josh turns around as he hears the door close. "Did you find him? Was I right? Was he there? Is he okay? Please tell me he's okay, daddy." Josh asks with fear and worry dripping from his voice. Bill kneels beside his youngest and hugs him, He holds the boy tightly to his chest and rubs circles on his back.   
  
"I'm so sorry, Josh. I let you down...I let _him_ down." He sighs, Josh pulls away with tears in his eyes. "W-What? Is he okay?" He asks. Bill shakes his head as Josh's breath hitches. "We found him but-" "You did?! Where is he?! When is he coming home?!" Josh's fear washes away and he smiles widely. Bill shakes his head and wipes his tears away. "No, Josh he...He isn't coming home." "Why not?"  
  
"He...We found him but he was...He was dead, Joshua." He says, Josh shakes his head and takes a step away from his father. "No...No, It's not...Tell me that's not true!" He begins wailing and Bill starts to tear up. "I'm so sorry, Josh..." Josh's heart breaks and he falls to his knees with empathy and he feels loss for the first time. His body shakes as he cries and Bill is quick to grab his fragile son and hold him tightly to his chest again. "We'll get through this Josh, I promise I'll protect you." He makes his promise and Josh takes him for his word.

* * *

  
Sharon opens Tyler's door cautiously only to see him holding his knees up to his chest, Huddled up in the corner. "Tyler..." She says with a calm, whispered tone. Tyler looks up and smiles, That's the first she's seen in a while. "Sharon..." His raspy voice speaks up, Sharon walks over to the boy with a smile. She bends down and sits beside him. "How are you feeling today?" Tyler smiles and shrugs.  
  
"I'm tired of these walls." She chuckles and takes his hand, He flinches at first but easily adjusts. "Come on, Ty. I think it's time you got to see more than this damned room." Tyler's face fills with worry but she shakes her head. "Don't worry, It's okay." She stands up again and helps Tyler to his feet, He's an entire foot taller than her but about 100 pounds lighter. She guides him to his door and leads him down the hallways. The walls are white but the cold tile beneath his feet is a deep gray, Covered in dust and mud.  
  
Yet he's so in love, Never seen something so marvelous. If he did, he's totally forgotten but he misses color. Sharon giggles lightly at his amazement, She compares his expression to one of a young boy at Disney land. She can see the amazement turn to fear as the sound of insane chattering echoes from the cafeteria. "It's okay, Tyler. You just need a little more interaction." She says with a sigh. Tyler's heart beats faster, He doesn't want interaction. He just wants to go home.  
  
She points her long, calloused finger at the lunch line and grins. "You start there, Just grab a tray and some food and you'll be on your way. Just like the real world." Tyler believes her, So he smiles and walks in the direction her finger was pointing and does as instructed. An old woman with ashy gray hair fading into a deep black shade and sagging, wrinkled skin huffs at Tyler as he walks up to her, Her thick glasses magnify her glossy turquoise eyes and it only makes Tyler smile more. It reminds him of young Jenna's eyes.  
  
"Grab it and go, I ain't here to put on a damn show for ya." She speaks with a crisp southern accent, Something about it made Tyler's stomach twist and turn. His smile disappears and he watches her smack a spoonful of something sloppy and foul onto his silver tray and wave him off. He slowly walks off and looks at everyone at their tables, His legs go weak and he whimpers as he doesn't see Sharon nor Jenna.   
  
A tall man with floppy, greasy, charcoal hair and bright tattoos decorating his arm wraps his other around Tyler's neck and grins. Tyler jumps from the sudden contact and drops his tray, The wet food on his plate splatters every where once it strikes the floor. The man laughs wildly and shakes his head, Tyler's eyes are wide as he looks at the man. "Hey, Wanna come sit by me? I sit alone and I know I haven't seen you around before so I thought it'd be a friendly gesture." The man says. Tyler nods and follows shyly, He can feel everybody's eyes watching him like fresh meat as he walks.  
  
"I'm Brendon by the way." He says. Tyler hums and sits beside him, A heavier, dirty man with brown curly hair to his shoulders is at the table with a thick steak and asparagus on his tray but Tyler pays no attention to him. Brendon steals a spoonful of the man's food and he grunts deeply. Tyler holds his hand in his lap and he sighs shakily, "I-I'm Tyler." He mumbles, Brendon seemed to have heard him seeing as he nods. "So, You a crazy or a murderer?" He asks with a smile. Tyler isn't either, Or is he? He doesn't think he is. Tyler's eyebrows furrow with confusion and he shakes his head. "I'm not crazy."  
  
Brendon scoffs. "Course you are! Why else would you be here?!" He laughs, The dirty man laughs too. Tyler doesn't find it funny.  
  
"Me." Brendon points to himself. "I was sent here by my family because I  "Slept walked to my father in law's house and killed him in his sleep." They think I'm crazy or have a disorder. It's neither, Just hated his fucking guts. So I qualify as a murderer, You see? So, what are you?" Brendon says with the same smirk. Tyler's breath hitches as he thinks heavily. He can't even remember how long he's been here.  
  
"I...I..." Tyler stutters, He can't remember but the dirty man beside him begins mocking Tyler's stutter shortly after. "I, I, I. Spit it out, you redneck. Are all you hicks the same brain dead cousin fuckers?" He huffs. Tyler's eyebrows furrow and he shakes his head. "No...No, No, No, It's just I-" "Is it your mommy?" Tyler's blood rushes through his veins and his burning eyes lock steadily on the man. "You went crazy cuz your mommy and daddy never loved you? Maybe an uncle touch you and you ended up taking your rage out on the family cattle?" He mocks some more.  
  
"Shut up before you regret it." Tyler mumbles, He doesn't even know why he said it, He doesn't know what he'd do. "Or what? You gonna teach me a lesson, skinny boy?" Brendon watches with bright eyes like it's a drama movie. Tyler growls as he takes in more of those sacred words. "Hit me then. C'mon...Do it!" The man shouts and Tyler screams with rage in return. His shaking hands grabs the man's steak knife and it takes on swift move for him to perfectly slit the man's throat. The blood sprays from his artery and glosses Tyler's face with crimson.  
  
His thick fingers desperately try to hold his flesh together to try and withdraw the bleeding but he knows he won't succeed. His body flops over lifelessly and he can hear Sharon's horrified screaming coming from behind him. He looks down in shock at his hands holding the bloody knife and the dying man on the floor gasping for air as he chokes on his blood. Jenna looks up from across the room an equal amount of horror as Sharon's. Brendon, however, is laughing. Tyler looks over at him and Brendon shrugs. "Guess you're a murderer, buddy." His tone is so careless but Tyler is panicking. Deep, Deep down.  
  
The warden and a nurse come running towards Tyler, Tyler's eyes tear up and he drops the knife. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't...I didn't mean it." He whines. Sharon's heart yearns as she watches another nurse follow and force Tyler into a straight jacket as he wails and apologizes over and over. She just wanted him to fit in.

* * *

 Tyler hates punishment, He hates when they treat him like he’s an animal rather than a human. He remembers feeling like a monster, He suddenly can’t blame them for their reason of treatment. He killed a man, He never thought of harming someone. He hasn’t found a reason to, He’s starting to believe that’s why he’s here, why did it feel so good? He keeps asking himself, why did it feel so good to watch him bleed? 

Tyler wants to be free, he’s tired of waiting for the time they believe he’s sane. He isn’t going to wait any longer, No one is going to tell him what to do from now on. He knows what he’s capable off, he feels like a weapon. 

He had to stare at those damn white walls for the last time, he’s counting down each minute before the next robot walks in and asks him the same questions they’ve been asking since he came. 

His arms are numb and tingling as the jacket squeezes his limbs tightly, cutting off his blood circulation. A soft knock is what makes him jolt up, Sharon is standing with a shy smile behind a nurse. The nurse smiles and introduces herself as she drags her table full of surgical essentials into Tyler’s room. He knows they aren’t meant for him. 

She reaches under the supplies and grabs a bottle of pills from the shelve and tells Tyler how they’ll help him sleep and make him numb, They wanted to put him down. He laughs under his breath, does she really think he’s stupid?

Sharon holds her hand out and helps Tyler to his feet, Her dry and shaking hands undo the ropes and belts around Tyler’s back and pulls his jacket off. She gives him a saddened smile, he can see her sympathetic eyes fill to the brim with tears as The nurse holds out her hands with 4 blue pills in one and a glass of water in the other.

Tyler smiles polietely and grabs the cup from her hand and slowly pours the liquid on the floor. The sound of the water dripping heavily onto Tyler’s white, cotton floor makes him look up at her confused expression. “U-Um...I gave that to you to help get the pills down.” She says.

Tyler nods with the empty glass in his hand. “I know but it was a rookie mistake to trust a looney with glass, dont ya think?” He speaks with a cocky yet confident tone, It’s one that Sharon’s never heard.

the nurse stutters as she watched Tyler with steady eyes. He chuckles at her fear and his hand lowers. “It’s alright, you can trust me. I won’t hurt you, I just cracked earlier, promise.” He speaks with a comforting smile.

the nurse chuckles with relief and smiles back. “O-Oh, I’m sure. I’ll get you another cup of water...” she mumbles. Tyler nods slightly before winding his arm back and shattering the cup atop of the cart. The nurse screams as Tyler jolts at her with the sharp glass object and slashed her throat the same way he had earlier? He felt like he knew what to do.

Sharon stepped back in horror and holds her hand over her heart as he begins to sob, Tyler looks at the white, cotton floor turn into a dark shade of crimson around the girl and he grins wildly at the sight, he’s never lived color more than red. He turns around and looks at Sharon’s frightened appearance and he tilts his head.

”What’s wrong, Doc? You afraid of me? Maybe feeling a little guilty that you couldn’t cure me with your magical voice and your oh, so perfect therapy sessions?” He says twistedly, Sharon’s body shakes with terror as she shakes her head. “I-I...” She’s too scared to create a sentence.

He turns his back on her and grabs the clean sharpened scalpel from the surgical tray and turns back to her and kneels beside her, he kisses her wrinkled cheek and whispers “Don’t worry princess, I’ll make it quick.” And he slices a deep gash from her wrist to her shoulder. She chose the wrong day to wear a sleeve less button up.

 He takes her ID card from her pocket and sneaks down the hall ways. His legs shake as he walks, He’s never felt more scared then now. He’s only been as far as the cafeteria but he feels confident enough to find his way out.

It doesn’t take long before he finds a fire alarm on the wall, he feels a sudden urge to pull the lever. He does as quickly as he can and he gasps as the lights shut off and a loud alarm blares. Water sprinkles from the ceiling, a crowd of doctors run towards the front door or to their patients cells to secure them in their rooms. Tyler wants to run along side them but knows if he does he’ll have a high risk of being nice incarcerated again.

He need to find another’s route. He looks about his surroundings and captures a flight of stairs, He swallows his pride as he runs towards them. He just about slips as he he runs up the drowning tiles. He reaches the top and curses, the halls look the exact damn way as they do downstairs, This place was made to make you go insane. 

Finally, Something catches his eye. A window, no bars on the outside and nobody around it. He smiles as he runs towards it, He knows it’s going to be one fuck if a fall but hey, freedom is freedom.

Tyler stops at the window as he hears the voice of the warden speak up. “Where do you think you’re going, patient?” Tyler turns around and sighs. “I just wanted to go home.” The warden chuckles and shakes his head. “You ain’t going anywhere.” His hand stretches out from behind his back and Tyler shrinks in his place as he pulls a heavy handgun out and aims at Tyler’s head. 

“Is this how you solve your problems? How do you even have your license still?” He shrugs, “cover it up, hide the evidence, then make it look like another patient did it before any suspicion can be drawn. All the messy shit you’ve done before.” He speaks coldly. Tyler looks beyond the man and can see Brendon’s silhouette sneaking up behind him.

”Yeah, I’ve done that...You ever had that sickening feeling from stripping someone’s fresh meat straight from their bones before sticking it in the freezer to feast on later? Maybe the savory flavor of blood melting  on your tongue like raspberry sherbet on a summer day?” He speaks with a cruel smile. His stomach turns as he remember what his family has done. He doesn’t want to go back anymore but he isn’t going to stay here.

It only took the warden a few more steps before Brendon screams and lunges the man through the window. Tyler watches with shock as Brendon laughs wildily at the man. Tyler looks down at his body, his limbs are dislocated and twisted. Brendon shrugs, “Just a little cushion for your fall.” Tyler looks down at the drop and shakes his head.

”Ugh, fine. I’ll go first.” He swings his legs over the window sill and drops on top of the mans body. He screams in pain as he lands and Tyler is quick to look down. “Y-Yeah, I was wrong...pretty sure I twisted my ankle but...look, just jump down and I’ll catch ya.” Tyler looks at the man and he stretches his arms out. Tyler shakes his head as Brendon’s whips to the side. Loud police sirens blare in the distance and Brendon’s fingers waves frantically lo “Its now or never!” Tyler swallows his pride as he jumps into the mans arms.

though he catches him, he quickly loses his balance and falls backwards. Tyler pushes his body up a bit by his arm and looks at Brendon’s smirk underneath him. “I don’t know about you but this is a very comfortable position.” Tyler scoffs and stands up. “So...now what?” Brendon climbs to his feet and looks at the wardens dead body. “Search him and we if he’s got his keys on him.” Tyler does as told but can’t seem to find anything. 

“Nothing...They’re not here.” Brendon curses and looks around the corner. “Um...The parking lots in the back. Grab his wallet and take what ever money he’s got and i’ll Just Hotwire the car.” Tyler nods and grabs the money from his wallet. “He’s got...forty five bucks.” Brendon smirks. “Perfect. Let’s go!” Brendon leads him to the parking lot and spots his car, he only knew because he used to watch him through his windows of his cell. 

Brendon grabs a rock and throws it at the window. Tyler flinches at the sound of the glass shattering. “Why would you do that?!” Brendon looks back at Tyler cockily “To unlock the door?” He reaches inside the door and opens the door with a “Oh...it was unlocked already.” Tyler rolls his eyes and climbs into the passenger side.

He watches with amazement as Brendon Hotwire the car to succession, The engine vibrates the car and makes Tyler smiles. “We’re...We’re getting out of here.” Brendon nods and pulls out of the parking lot before speeding off down the road with another roar of laughter. 

“Fuck yeah, Baby!” He rolls the windows down and sticks his head out of the car. “You feel that?! It’s fucking freedom!” Tyler does the same and sticks his head out of the window. He smiles widely, he feels safe. 


	3. I Pray For The Wicked

"In most recent and tragic news: Last night around 9:36 pm, Inmates at the FPE asylum had grouped a riot and several have escaped. There has been seven workers reported dead and about thirty injured, If you're in the Columbus area, the state has required you to stay in your homes with every door locked and to arm yourself if necessary and stay clear from windows." The news anchor speaks through Josh's television speakers, He looks at his sister's worried eyes and he swallows the nervous lump in his throat. Abby is twelve now but Josh still sees her as the young child she once was, he shuts the T.V off and hurries to lock the front and back door before running to their father's room and loading his 12-gauge shotgun hidden under his bed. Abby's breath starts to grow heavy with fear as she watches her brother cock the gun. "A-Are we going to die?" She asks shakily, Josh shakes his head to reassure the girl.  
  
"No, If they even come close to us, I'll blow their heads off before they could touch you." He says, He's trying to pull a tough façade but he's more scared than he's ever been in his life. He wishes Jed could be here to protect them both. Abby shakes her head frantically as she takes a step back. "I don't want you to kill anyone!" Josh sets the gun onto his father's bed and inches towards her with a look of worry on his face. "It's self defense, Abby. I wouldn't want one of those lunatics to hurt you." Tears start to stream down her freckled cheeks. "It's not their faults!" with that, She runs down the hallway and slams her door shut with a turn of a lock. Josh exhales as he sits down on the edge of his father's bed. "What am I going to do?" He asks his mother, He closes his eyes as he sighs. He knows he won't receive a response but he knows his mother would know what to say.

* * *

 Brendon bites his tongue as he watches Tyler beside him, His small yet excited form is thrilling to watch. His small hands shaking as they securely hold his arms over his chest and his wide eyes and bright smile are all so beautiful. "Ay, Look in the glove compartment for glasses or something for me, Babe." Tyler looks at him confused. Glove compartment? Glasses? Babe? "I-I've never been in a car before so I have not a clue what you're asking for." Brendon chuckles. "Surely you've been in a few." Tyler shrugs "Police cruiser and a white van that took me to the asylum but other than that, No. Never been in the front seat like this." Brendon nods and puts his hand on Tyler's knee. "It's alright. Take the wheel for me then." Tyler panics as Brendon lets go off the wheel, The car swerves for a slight second before Tyler's shaking hand rushes over to the wheel and he tries his best to steady the car.   
  
He studied the way Brendon had been doing. Stay on the road and between the lines. He does as he watched but still worries as Brendon bends over Tyler's waist and opens the glove compartment and finds a vintage pair of sunglasses. He sits back up and takes the wheel once more. "Thanks, Ty. You did pretty good for a first timer, You'll be a Nelson Piquet in no time." He says with a bright smile and a heartily laugh. His laugh always makes Tyler laugh, "Who's that?" Tyler asks while chuckling. Brendon groans and tilts the glasses down to reveal his eyes to Tyler. "How long have you been in that shithole? Like seriously, Is there anything you do know?"  
  
"I do know how to strip the flesh off of a human being without them bleeding out and I know how to properly cook a heart but I don't know a damned thing about the outside world." He says with no tone, No emotion, and no remorse. Brendon's eyes widen and he laughs wildly. "HO-LY SHIT, KID!" Tyler smirks cockily and turns to the black haired stud beside him as he laughs like a maniac. "That's fucking sick! Like a good kind of sick. Oh, My god!" He drags a hand through his messy, greasy, charcoal hair and lets out a short breath.  
  
"We...are runnin' low on gasoline." He sighs as he looks back at Tyler. "W-What do we do?" Brendon shrugs. "Fucking fill 'er up, I guess." He looks at the only road sign they've seen in a while and smiles. "Next station's in five miles or so, Till then..." Brendon leans over and turns the volume knob and switches on soft rock music. "We can jam out to some music." Tyler jumps at the sudden noise but soon adjusts when Brendon drums the beat on the steering wheel and sings gracefully at the top of his lungs.   
  
It only took a song and a half to finally reach the exit and pull into the station. Brendon steps out of the car and Tyler hands him the warden's wallet. Brendon pulls out twenty-five dollars and begins to pump gas into the car. Tyler watches him for a moment before leaning back against the trunk. A short. heavyset woman with dry autumn hair tied into a ponytail comes up to Tyler. "You plan on payin' for that?" Tyler nods skeptically. "Then come inside with me, We'll pay there." Tyler looks to Brendon with worried eyes, Brendon just nods with a smile as The lady stares at Tyler. "After you." Her deep and raspy tone speaks. Tyler shakily walks up to the glass doors and steps inside the cold station.  
  
She leads him up to the front where a shy teenage boy with long brunette hair, Tyler rests his hands on the counter and looks at the boy. "This young man would like to put fifty on pump seven." She says. Tyler shakes his head. "I-I don't have that much money." She ignores Tyler and looks at the boy with a death glare. "Cash or card?" He asks.  
  
"I already told you! I don't have that kind of money!" the woman chuckles. "I figured an escapee like you wouldn't." Tyler's heart beats faster as he looks back to Brendon through the glass pane. Tyler turns around but the woman quickly grabs his arms and bends him over the counter. "Timothy! Call the police!" She shouts at the teen behind the counter. He steps back and panics. It isn't even less than 10 seconds later when Brendon runs through the door with the warden's gun in hand. "Let him go or I'll blow your fucking head off!" The woman turns around and shakes nervously. "Timothy!" Brendon walks up to her with no hesitation and holds the gun to her back until she lets go of Tyler and he shoves her into a bathroom behind the counter. Timothy follows and locks the door after Brendon shuts the door. The woman shouts for help from beyond the door as Brendon laughs.  
  
He turns back to Tyler and stops laughing. "You alright, Kid?" Tyler nods and steps back. "I...I thought she was going to s-send me back." He shudders with tears forming in his eyes. Brendon puts a soothing hand on his back before looking up at Timothy. "Um...Thanks for...You know." Timothy nods and sets his long hair behind his ears. "I don't like my life." Brendon shrugs and sighs. "So do something. There ain't much advice I'm gonna give you, dude." He nods with a smile as he flips off the bathroom door. "Nice one, Timothy." Tyler chuckles. Brendon walks around the counter and grabs four packs of cigarettes and a bottle of liquor before turning to Tyler. "Grab yourself some snacks, Babe. You need some meat on your bones." Tyler looks down at his skinny form and sighs. He turns around and looks at the assortment of treats he's never seen or tasted before.  
  
He hums as he grabs a handful of chocolate bars, a bag of chips, two suckers, a Redbull, and a bag of beef jerky. Brendon laughs at the sigh of such a small kid holding too much for his hands to hold. He signals his head to the car and Tyler happily trots out. Brendon looks back to Timothy and shrugs. "Thanks again." Timothy shakes his head. "What?"  
"I'm coming with you." He says with a perky smile. Brendon laughs "The fuck you are!" He runs out of the station, starts up the car and drives off before Timothy could run around the counter.

* * *

Tyler's never been on a roadtrip nor has he been near the city, Brendon decided to take him for both. The bright lights and tall buildings amaze Tyler, He bites into one of his Hershey bars and smiles brightly at the billboards advertising an upcoming circus. The drawing of elephants, balloons, and cotton candy make him giggle like a little kid. "We need a place to stay tonight but first we need clothes cuz I don't think anyone's gonna be fooled by our...attire." Tyler looks down at his white shirt and hospital bottoms and hits his head against the window. "Okay, W-What do normal people wear?" Brendon pulls over to a strip mall. "Don't worry, I know he keeps an extra blazer in the trunk so just...Take your shirt off and we'll put the jacket over you so you'll look a little more normal." Tyler shakes his head. "I-I'm fine." Brendon curses. "Fine, Then I'm going in like this too. Not gonna let you look like a crazy alone."  
  
He opens the door and Tyler follows him, Brendon buys a white button up and a pair of black jeans. He brings Tyler to a modern store he doesn't care to pronounce the name to and looks through the different sizes that look like they'd fit his body. Tyler shrivels up as a girl stares at him, Her blue eyes judge his appearance and he flips her off before hiding behind Brendon. She scoffs and mutters a homophobic slur that Tyler doesn't understand. Brendon looks up with an angered look in his eyes but Tyler turns his head with his hand and softly speaks. "It's okay, Don't worry about it." Brendon nods before finding a pair of ripped black jeans and a blue floral sweater. "Go to the dressing room and see if they fit." Tyler nods and walks slowly through the crowd of people, still feeling like all eyes are on him. His eyes eventually find a pair of black vans with red flowers on them that make him smile.  
  
He grabs them and finds an open dressing room. He strips the hospital smelling uniform from his body and he looks at himself in the mirror. He looks at his ribcage poking through his skin and all the scars around his legs and back. He bites his cheek as he pulls the clothes on top of his figure, He pulls the shoes on and admires how he looks. For the first time, He doesn't feel ugly or like a prisoner. He smiles and steps out of the dressing room and looks to Brendon, He groans with a smile. "You look so damn good, Tyler. God, I could just eat you out." Tyler's face scrunches up a little. "Don't you mean eat you alive?" Brendon laughs. "Nope." Tyler hums with confusion as he looks around him. "Okay, On my mark. We book it, Okay?" Brendon asks Tyler, He looks up to Brendon. "What's the mark?" Brendon bolts out of the store as fast as he can and Tyler stumbles after him as the store's manager yells after the both of them.  
  
Tyler laughs wildly as he follows Brendon back to the car and he jumps ecstatically as he starts it back up and speeds down the road. He holds his knees up to his chest as Brendon cranks the music full blast and screams with energy.   
  
It took about an hour to find a motel, Brendon had to intention of paying so he found one that was empty and simply went to one next door and broke the window with a rock and climbed through. He tripped over someone's bags while climbing through but opened the dividing doors, Locked his side and opened the front door for Tyler. "You could've just broke our window, I hope you know." Tyler said as he walked inside and dumped his snacks of one of the beds. Brendon shrugs. "Where's the fun in that? They'll come back and complain to the front desk and we won't be bothered."  
  
"We will if the cops get involved." Tyler says, Brendon clicks his tongue in disbelief. "They won't. I promise." Tyler shrugs and opens a bag of Doritos. "What ever you say." He says flatly while biting into a chip, He loves the flavor of nacho cheese on his tongue and his mouth waters for more. "You don't believe me, princess?" Tyler looks up at him as he sits criss-cross. "Did you just call me princess?" He asks. Brendon sits beside him with a smile. "Maybe." Tyler hums and sets his chips aside. "You need some sleep."   
  
"And you need some dick." Tyler laughs and shakes his head. "Go to sleep, Brendon." He pouts and sighs. "You're no fun, Joseph."

* * *

Josh walks into Abby's room and checks on her, She unlocked her door sometime during her isolation but she's fast asleep under her covers. Josh sighs as he closes her door, A sound of a bottle breaking downstairs makes him stop in his place. His heart begins racing as he thinks of the possibilities, He quickly and quietly walks into his father's room and grabs the shotgun. He walks downstairs with the safety off and his finger on the trigger, He looks around the room once he got to the bottom. He walks into the kitchen and keeps the gun at aim, Another glass breaks and on reflex Josh takes fire. "The hell?!" A shout comes from the kitchen. Josh opens his eyes and looks at his drunken father holding a bottle of fireball.   
  
"Are you drunk? Again?!" Bill stumbles up to Josh and yanks the gun from his grasp. "What have I told you about grabbing my guns?" he slurs. Josh scoffs, "Are you even aware of what's going on?" He asks, Bill ignores him and goes back to grab a glass to pour his whiskey into. Josh scoffs again and grabs his keys. "I'm going for a drive, Don't wait up." He hisses. The cold breeze blows through his black hair and he takes a deep breath. What has the world come to?  
  
He opens the door to his pickup and he starts up the engine and drives off, The bright lights are becoming boring for him. He's beginning to hate his city, He wants to run away the first opportunity he can get. His dad's a drunk, not the happy kind either. He's violent and angry, It's been years since he's seen his dad sober or happy. If it weren't for his sister, he's not sure if he'd be here right now. It seems to be the only thing keeping him going.  
  
He doesn't know where he's was driving to but he ended up at a strip mall and cried to himself in the almost emptied parking lot. He eventually takes a deep breath and takes a step out of his vehicle and into the mall. He just needed to take a walk, He doesn't need anything nor does he have any funds to do so. He stops walking when he sees a worried yet angered woman in front of a clothing store talking to Officer Way. Josh walks up to the scene and looks at Gerard, "Everything cool over here?" the woman scoffs at Josh.  
  
"Butt out, kid. Don't you have else where to be?" She speaks, Gerard waves it off. "This is the sheriff's son, Josh." She scoffs again, "Like I give a damn! I was robbed!" Josh looks back to her. "You were robbed? How long ago?" His tone becomes concerned. "About an hour or two ago." Gerard speaks up as he looks down at his notepad. "What did he or she look like?" She scoffs once more. "Look, You ain't a cop. Piss off until the professionals can get their pay and that fucker gets justice." Josh looks at Gerard and instead of defending him in anyway he agrees with the woman. Josh scoffs and walks off back to his truck to face his drunk father once more before laying in bed for yet another restless night.

* * *

 Tyler's eyes open slowly and they try to adjust to the bright sunrise that creeps through the cheap blinds, He sits up and looks over to see Brendon sleeping in his underwear. His clothes discarded on the filthy floor beneath them. His chest rises and falls through his deep slumber, His plump, pastel pink lips are gaped open slightly and a soft snore abrupt from. Tyler smiles as he watches him, He wonders what Brendon is dreaming about. He himself dreamt about a circus, He dreamt of how it would smell of popcorn and peanuts like Brendon described. He feared the thought of a big crowd though, Other than that, He dreamt of Brendon. His maniac laughter and devilish smile as he holds a secure arm around Tyler's shoulder and keeps him close.  
  
He's never felt a connection with someone and it scares him, He can't love nor does he know how to. He just knows he can't, Besides, He said he had a girlfriend. She's probably waiting for him to come home. Tyler is thinking of letting him go home or killing him when he gets the opportunity. He can't bear with the fact he must lose the man but he must cut him off before he devotes his everything to him. He's not going to be foolish as to do such a thing, He won't let it happen.  
  
Brendon's eyes open shortly after and he immediately smiles. "Good morning, babe. How ya doin'?" He asks as he puts his hand on Tyler's knee. Tyler lets out a forced giggle before looking at the molting wallpaper in front of him. "What's wrong? Is it my breath?" He asks as he sits up. Tyler shakes his head. "Then what?" Tyler looks back to him with a worried smile. "How old are you?" He asks. Brendon's eyebrows furrow. "Is that supposed to matter?" Tyler nods. "Well, in that case, I'm twenty eight." Tyler nods. "Well, I'm...I think I'm in love with you." Brendon looks taken back as Tyler says this. His confident and goofy appearance has faded to guilt and uncomfortable quickly and Tyler wishes he never said a word.  
  
"Bren-" Before he can say anything, The door opens widely and a family of three stop in their place as they see the both of them. The middle aged mother drops her bags and screams, Tyler panics and grabs what was left of his snacks while Brendon grabs his clothes, gun, and keys and they both run out of the room to their car and speed off. Brendon struggles to redress himself as he drives.  
  
"Okay, Look-" Brendon begins to speak, Tyler turns his head to Brendon to give him to upmost full attention. "I don't care that you love me, I mean, Who wouldn't, am I right?" He laughs, Tyler giggles a bit but continues to fumble with the bag of chips. "It's just...You're sixteen. I'm sorry you've been through the shit you've been through. You're still young." Tyler shrugs and bites into another chip. "It's fine, Everything I did was voluntary. I could've stopped if I wanted to. I love seeing someone bleed out and suffer, The fear the boils in their blown pupils is fascinating." Brendon hums as he puts his hand through his sleeve. "Take the wheel again, Please." Tyler does as told and he watches as Brendon buttons up his shirt. His body is magnificent and he can't tell if it's one he'd love to bruise with hickeys or with a crowbar.

* * *

Tyler was quiet the rest of the car ride, he didn't want to speak anymore than he already did. His mouth waters for a flavor more divine than nacho cheese, he misses the hot, throbbing, metallic, red liquid on his tongue. He looks over to Brendon and he hits his head against the window again, Brendon looks over with concern. "You okay?" Tyler shakes his head. "Pull over." He mutters. Brendon looks back to the road. "What?"  
" **Pull over**."  
  
Brendon slowly pulls the car to the side of the road and Tyler quickly opens his door and takes a deep breath, Brendon opens his door as Tyler starts walking from the car.  
  
"Where are going?" Brendon shouts after Tyler. "I need to kill something...Or someone, I need it. It feels like I'm going through a fucking withdrawal." He says back, Veins popping through his forehead as he paces back and forth. Brendon nods, "Okay, Get back in the car and I'll take you anywhere you need." Tyler takes a deep breath and gets back into the car. Brendon heads back into town, He stops at a bar he used to love. He knew he needed a drink more than Tyler needed to kill so he parks the car and slams the door shut. Tyler watches him disappear into the bar, unclear of why they were here he steps out of the car and walks around to the back. He looks at the shady area with a smile, He knew someone would end up stepping out for a smoke break or anything of that sort.   
  
He leans back against the brick wall, He looks at the trashcan beside him and digs through it. Not soon before he locates an empty vodka bottle, He keeps it in hand as he waits. He closes his heavy and dark eyelids as he takes a deep and shaky breath. He opens his eyes as he exhales and he looks at the light polluted sky above him, Smoke clouds cover the blue scenery and limit the bright warmth of the sun but it just adds up to another gloomy day in Ohio.  
  
Twenty five minutes pass by before a short woman in her early twenties steps outside, Her smooth chocolate dark skin adds to her beauty. Her lips are glossy and plump, Her hair is a shade of light brown is healthy and full of life with tiny yet powerful curls. Her hips have a perfect curve, her thighs are thick and her cheekbones are so perfect that Tyler has trouble believing she's real.  
  
She pulls out a pack of cigarettes from her back pocket and she turns her head to Tyler, She smiles when she sees him. He feels guilt take over him when he sees her white teeth. "Hey, You new here or something?" She asks, Her voice is so crisp and high. She looks and even sounds beautiful.  
  
Tyler shakes his head. "Born and raised here." He lies. She believes him and nods, She grabs another cigarette and holds it out for Tyler. "You smoke?" He doesn't but he accepts. He grabs the cigarette from his fingers, Her red acrylic nails look perfect. She lights her own before helping Tyler out with his. He takes a long drag and coughs heavily as he exhales. She giggles as he does so. "Been a while or you don't smoke?" Tyler continues coughing and she laughs. "You didn't have to take it if you don't smoke, you big goof." She takes his cig and burns it out with the heel of her boot.  
  
Tyler laughs with her, She stops so she could take another drag. "I'd tell you that those could kill you but I don't see why that'd matter." She nods. "You'd just sound like my mother so I'm glad you didn't." He hums and nods. "I'm Toni, by the way. I know it's a boy's name but I don't think it matters all too much. And you are?" She holds her hand out for a handshake, Tyler gladly takes her hand firmly and shakes it. "Tyler." She smiles widely. "Double T's." Tyler nods with a small laugh. "Yeah, I guess. Toni and Tyler...That's kind of funny." She giggles playfully as she takes another drag. "I like you, You're cute." She says. "Not just the way you act, I mean like it's not everyday you meet a boy wearing a girl's sweater in an alleyway." Tyler looks down at his sweater and scoffs playfully. "It's not a girl's sweater." He protests.  
  
"It is too!" She laughs. "Just because it's floral, doesn't mean it's a girl's sweater." he states. She nods and puts out her cigarette. "True, But it still looks too feminine for you." he rolls his eyes as she giggles again. "How long you on break?" He asks her, She looks at her watch. "About fifteen minutes, Why?" He smiles. "Can you go for a drive? Like to a park or something, I'd love to talk more with you, Toni." She nods and walks up to him. Her trust in him is sad but he won't let it get him down. He shows her around the building, when she passes by the trashcans. He grabs the bottle and easily winds his arm back and breaks the thick bottle over her head. She groans in pain as she drops, Tyler grips her curls by the roots and brings her out of sight. Her soft hands hit and scratch at Tyler's but it doesn't stop him, He walks around her and stomps on her throat.  
  
He sits on top of her small hips and grabs what's left of the shattered bottle and pulls her top off, Her exposed, small and curvy stomach shakes as he brings the pane across it. Her blood freshly seeps from the wounds he creating. She tries to scream to no avail, a bruise is already forming on her throat. He brings the bottle above his head and digs it deep into her flesh, he repeats the process until the bottle is nothing but the top. Her gut now is pouring blood with a beautiful hole gaping through, He pulls her out large intestine and wraps it around her throat. "There, It's a perfect accessory that isn't too feminine or masculine for you." he growls.  
  
Her lips quivers as she chokes on her own blood, Tyler loves the sight of this. He smiles as he sucks the thick fluid form his fingers. It's the same flavor but somehow richer, He's never loved anything more. He grips her flimsy flesh around her wound and rips her apart with no trouble. He loves the sick noise it makes when he rips her muscles and flesh from her bones, He makes sure she's unrecognizable when he's done. He didn't count how long he'd been doing this but he hears Brendon shouting his name with worry. He curses quietly before standing back up and licking the blood from his hands and walking back around the building. When he sees Brendon, His back is turned and he's still shouting.  
  
"Right here, baby." He says, Brendon turns around to see the boy covered in red from his nose down to his waist line. "Ty...Tyler, What did you do?" He asks, Tyler licks access blood under his nails and shrugs. "Do you think this sweater is feminine?" He asks with concern, He looks down with a pout. Brendon wipes a hand over his face and laughs. "That's what you worry about?" He asks, Tyler nods. "Well, yeah. Kind of." Brendon scoffs. "Take it off, We'll get you a shower then we're gonna have to take you shopping again." Tyler shrugs and nods. "Better not get me another damn sweater though, Okay?"


	4. Momma said don't give up (That's a little complicated)

Another shattered glass is heard from downstairs, Josh has lost count of how many times his father has came home like this. He’s beginning to fear his father and what he’s capable of. He shouldn't be scared to come home everyday, He's getting worse and worse as the days pass. He can't the last time he was happy, truly. God how he wishes his brother never left that night, how he yearns for his mother. It's nobody's fault she's gone but Josh feels that she'd help. She'd hold him as he cried and would tell him not to worry about a thing as she kisses his forehead. Maybe sing him to sleep to help his stress, but no, he's left to be on his own.

Bill's heavy footsteps make their way up the stairs, Josh can only imagine he’s getting ready for bed. He doesn't want another fight, he doesn't want to hurt him. He just can’t wait until he can run out if this town and stay as far away from his father as he can get. He knows if he stays any longer than he needs to then he'll either go crazy or blow his brains out with his father's 12-gauge. Josh sits up slowly as he feels a disturbance when the footsteps stop and turn away from his room. A few stumbled footsteps approach and then a loud pounding comes to the door next to Josh’s. It’s Abby’s room. He can hear her wake and begin to cry and yell at her father to go away, the pounding only gets louder. "Open this goddamn door, girl!" He shouts.

 Josh shoots out of bed and opens his door, his father is shouting curses at Abby as she cries in her bed, more than likely hiding under her covers. “Stop it!” Josh shouts, Bill turns his head to Josh and Josh gulps. “What’d you say to me, boy?” His slurred voice antagonizes the teen, something in Josh snaps. He's tired of the abuse. 

”I told you to knock it the fuck off, you drunk!” He shouts, his father is taken back but laughs heartily at his son. “Look at you, you’ve grown balls while I was out, Hmm? Is that what it is? You think you’re the man of the house now? You think you can tell me how it is?!” He yells, Josh can smell the whiskey on his breath. His anger is fueling up quicker than it ever had.

“You’re no man so what should you worry for, there is no postion for you to fall from! I can’t believe you think you’re half the man you were. You’re a pathetic, no good drunk! You can’t even afford to take care of your children because you spend your paychecks on whiskey! You don't even understand that your kids are afraid of you and the monster you’ve become! What kind of a man are you?! What would Jed think of you?! Or mom?!” Josh yells, Bill pushes Josh back against the wall with force. 

“Fuck ‘em then, and you can fuck off too! You know why? Because you’re a waste of a life, you are a worthless piece of shit! Just like the both of them! They were weak, if they weren’t they’d still be here.” Bill says with his cold heart. "What do you mean I'm worthless?! You don't even know me! You never take time to sit down and talk to me anymore! The only thing you care about is yourself and your goddamn drinks! If anyone is worthless, It's you!" Josh growls. Bill chuckles, "You can burn in hell with your mother. She ain't no saint and you sure as hell ain't one either." He mumbles.

 Josh snaps and screams as he grabs his father's uniform and shoves him backwards with all of his strength. Bill's drunkenness makes his lose balence quickly and he stumbles back and falls down their stairs. Josh watches with terror as his father reaches the bottom he makes no attempt to stand back up. Josh’s stomach sinks and he leans his back against Abby’s door and cries. He can't find any strength in him to even think about checking on his father, If he's dead...Then good fucking riddance.  
  
Josh sniffles and stands up, He can't wait here any longer. It's not like Bill would go out of his way to try and track him down anyways. Josh slowly turns Abby's doorknob and walks in, he was right, she's tucked under her covers and hiding as she cries. Josh consoles her as he sits on the edge of her bed. "It's okay, Abby. It's just me, He can't get to you now. You're safe with me, Abigail. I need you to do something for me, okay?" She slowly pulls the blanket from her face and looks at her brother with confusion and hope. She nods as Josh wipes the tears from her freckled cheeks. "I need you to get your suitcase and pack all of your favorite clothes, We're going to get out of here. We're going somewhere safer than this, somewhere where we can be happy." He says as tears form in his eyes. "Don't be afraid, Abby. I promise, nobody will ever hurt you again." He reassures, She sniffles and nods. "O-Okay, You promise we'll be okay?" She asks with fear trembling in her tone. Josh nods and holds her tiny hands in his. "I swear to you."   
  
She nods and stands out of her bed and does as told, Josh takes a deep and unstable breath before running to his room and doing the same. He looks down at the old, dirty rug his mother had placed there before her due date, Josh has never washed it because he felt it still held a part of her, her fingerprints. Something of her was there and he'd be damned if he'd let anyone take it from him, He kneels and pulls the rug back and wipes his hand along the floorboards to find the loose plank. He finally finds it and pulls it upwards and pulls his jar of money out from under the wood. He knew if his dad had found it he'd just take it and buy whiskey so he found a hiding place.  
  
He counts his cash and grabs his keys before walking to Abby's room once more. "You all ready, kiddo?" he asks her, She looks from her suitcase to Josh a few times before nodding. "Yeah, I'm ready." He smiles and holds her hand as they slowly walk downstairs and creep past Bill's body. Josh reaches the door when he hears a deep mumbling from behind him, He turns back to see Bill struggling to get up. He panics as he picks Abby up and runs to his truck. He puts her in the passenger seat and clicks her seatbelt before running back to get her suitcase. Bill is sitting up on his own now, he turns his head to Josh and a look of fury storms on his face.  
  
"You little...bastard." he says, a slight slur comes from his tone. He's sobering up and Josh has never been more scared. "Stay away form me, you psychopath!" Josh shouts, He steps back as Bill finds a grip and stands up. Josh looks around him for anything he could use as protection, the only thing he could find was Bill's gun. He wasn't going to shoot him but maybe he could scare him off. Josh's shaking hand grabs the weapon and he aims it at his father, the intimidating act didn't seem to leave an impression. Bill laughs at his son's "heroic" choice. "You really want me to believe you'll shoot me?" he asks, Josh scoffs. "If it fucking comes to that, I won't hesitate." He huffs, he makes sure there's a bullet in the chamber as he pulls the trigger. He aims at the wall beside his father's presence and he watches as the color drains from Bill's face. "You being serious? What good is this going to solve? Whether you pull the trigger or not, You're still a worthless pussy. You're still going to be a disgrace, the world is going to spit in your face and laugh at you." He pries Josh apart piece by shattering piece.  
  
"You won't get to me, I won't let you. Not anymore." Josh mumbles as he walks up to his father at a quick pace, He winds his arm back and before his father could stop him. Josh hits him in the temple with the butt of the gun. He watches as Bill falls to the floor once more, Josh grabs Abby's suitcase and runs out to his truck. "We're safe, Abby. We're going to be okay." he says to the young girl as he puts his keys into the ignition and pulls out of their driveway and onto the open roads.

* * *

 

Though he loved the sight of such a cute boy drenched in blood, Brendon wasted no time in buying Tyler a new shirt. He couldn't risk him being seen like that. He snatched himself a basic black tee, it complements Tyler's complexion perfectly. The poor boy has lost his ways, Brendon knows he's not the perfect role model but he's going to try and do right by this kid. Brendon's killed before but Tyler's surely had much more gruesome and violent experience, if he weren't so adorable Brendon would probably be terrified of the kid. 

Brendon pulls out a cigarette from his pack and places it between his thick, pastel pink lips and ignites the end, Tyler watches with amazement from beside him. He's always so curious, it's quite charming. "You remember the plan, baby?" Brendon asks, Tyler nods hesitantly nods. "Can we go over it one last time, I just don't want to screw anything up." He says,  Brendon chuckles as he exhales the nicotine infected fog from his teeth. "It's alright, you're gonna walk your perky little ass in there and try to lure some bait. Now, I'm gonna warn ya, it's probably going to be an old pervy fuck but you're winning yourself a free meal and I'm gonna get myself some cash for the road." Tyler nods. "O-Okay, I got it."

Tyler looks at the entrance of the rundown restaurant and takes a deep breath, he opens his car door and walks inside. He looks around and sees a couple of older, dirty looking men at the bar and a few girls at a booth in the far back laughing about something but quickly come to a stop when they see Tyler. He gulps as he walks up to a man, he looks to Tyler and smirks. "What's a guy like you doing in a place like this, fresh meat?" He asks, his voice is raspy and deep. It unsettles Tyler lightly but gets over it. "I was hoping you'd buy me a drink, stud." He winks, the man chuckles and nods. "Sure, pumpkin...is there anything _else_ I could get ya?" He suggests. 

Tyler nods and bites his lip. "Yes, actually. Do ya think you can order me a hot chocolate? I've been craving to have something warm and delicious sliding down my throat and coating my esophagus with sugar." He flirts, the man chuckles and nods. "Sure can do, my sweet prince." Tyler looks around the area, Brendon enters the restaurant and finds himself to a booth alone. "How's about you go to the bathroom and I'll meet ya in there in 10?" He asks. The man is quick to his feet and walks to the loo. The bartender walks up to Tyler and Tyler asks for an order of French fries. "Make them to-go...and put it on that guys bill. I ain't planning to stay long." The bartender laughs and does as told. Tyler takes a stand and walks to the restroom, the man lets him in.

Tyler locks the door behind him, "Look, daddy. I like to keep it kinky, even if it's a quick hookup. Do you think I could gag you. I like to keep my men quiet, all the pleasure I need from you is the look in your eyes and your sweet, sweet cock." He says seductively. The man chuckles suggestively and nods. "Oh god, yes." Tyler takes a gag from his pocket and tightens it in the man's mouth. Once the man lets his dick think before his reflexes could, Tyler takes his new switchblade into the man's flesh in his beer belly and slowly drags the blade up the man's body. His blood sprays upon Tyler's face, He smiles as he grunts while his hand tightly grips the weapon. He watches as the blade makes it way through his thick, sweaty flesh.  
  
The man's eyes burst and his face blows red as he slowly realizes what's happening. By the time he tried to scream he was already dead, Tyler smiles with a satisfied smirk and licks a stripe off of the blade. He grimaces at the flavor, even his blood tastes barbaric. Through the sick taste of his blandness. Tyler licks his hand clean of any evidence and leaves the man dead on toilet and walks out of the bathroom, he looks at the counter and grabs his hot styrofoam box full of deep fried potatoes and smiles. "Thanks, sir. He'll be out in just a moment." He winks to the bartender. Brendon nods him out and they leave together. Tyler laughs as the restaurant door shuts, he puts the box on the passenger seat and looks at Brendon.

He looks at Brendon as he counts the cash in hands, he laughs and looks back to Tyler. "Thats how it's fucking done, baby!!" He screams. Tyler shrieks from surprise when Brendon grabs him from under his thighs and holds him on his waist. He spins Tyler around in circles while laughing and looking into Tyler's eyes. Tyler's never been so sure of an decision In his life, he leans his head down and purses his lips. His lips perfectly mold onto Brendon's, he never seemed phased by the actions as he kisses back while still spinning the boy. Tyler wraps his arms around his neck, Brendon returns the touch by removing one hand and holding Tyler's jaw to show his obvious dominance within the moment. 

He walks around the building and pins the boy against a brick wall and moves his lips to Tyler's neck, Tyler throws his head back and let's Brendon work his magic. Brendon sucks a dark hickey onto Tyler's tanned skin and nibbles sweetly on his collarbone. "M-More." Tyler mumbles, Brendon chuckles. "Ooh, you're definitely gettin' more, baby." He smirks. He knew Brendon would come around, but this only means Tyler has to kill him before this relationship becomes just as Brendon wants it to be.

* * *

  _Kelly paces back and forth as she waits for Chris to finish cleaning up an old rusty sickle she'd found in the corn fields, she wants it to be used for someone special and by someone special. She knew Zack was too young seeing as to how he reacted the last time they'd ran over a squirrel while driving, but she knew Tyler could do it. He showed his true potential at school, Kelly saw the pictures of the boy Tyler chose to be his victim. Oh, how gloriously the bites were, she could see every individual teeth mark in his veins and shreds of his muscles spread on the grass underneath him. Tyler always hated his teeth but now they were a gift, a prized possession, and a weapon._

_She smiles when Chris sets his rag down and hands her the sickle, she glides her finger along the blade and hums sweetly. "Perfect, just...perfect." She says with a satisfied tone. She sighs and throws it back onto the table for Chris to sharpen the blade. Kelly turns around and makes her way through the living room and to the stairs to awake Tyler. There are always teens lurking in the corn fields at this hour in order to scare each other but oh, boy. They are always in for more than what they've bargained for._

_Kelly stops at the last step when the flick of a light switch catches her eye, light illuminates the kitchen and the fluorescent brightness echoes down the stretch of their hallway. Kelly removed her foot from the stair and slowly makes her way to the kitchen, she can hear the soft munching of something near the fridge and a satisfied hum. She walks onto the dirtied tile, that isn't as white as it should be, and sees a young Tyler. His lips, nose, and cheeks blasted with red, thick blood. His teeth gnawing on a thick chuck of meat, raw meat if you must, meat they hacked straight from an old truckers leg. Kelly isn't opposed to cannibalism, that's why she does what she does. But it fueled pure happiness and destructiveness into his veins when she saw Tyler purely enjoying feasting on the man's limb._

_Tyler dropped the meat and hurried to smear the blood from his face, his small hands shook violently as Kelly took a slow step forward. "Tyler..." She hummed sweetly. His eyes were as wide as doe in headlights. "Y-Yes, momma?" She steps forward once more and sets her hands on his shoulders. "You know mommy loves you, right? You're not in trouble. You've been a very good boy." She rambles. Tyler's never seen her so delighted, did she hear about school? Does she understand? "Momma, I'm sick." Kelly shakes her head, " No, you're solving problems. You'd never eat this meat before, I'd have to go out special for you because you're such a picky bastard. But you see now, right? Why we do this? It's such an...irresistible flavor, so rich, so...you get the point, baby." Tyler nods slowly, she was right._

  _He felt as if he couldn't go a day without the savory liquid on his tongue. He needed it, he knew it. Even being a few seconds from having his lips off of the meat, he felt himself having withdrawals. He didn't like where this was going to end._

* * *

 Tyler wakes up in a daze, His eyes open slowly. He looks at the soft sweater that Brendon had wrapped him up in sometime after their love making session. He sighs as he looks up at the moonlight shining through the windshield, The sun had already set and Tyler couldn't quite feel his legs. He felt a throbbing sensation between his thighs and the weak tremble his knees made even though he were not standing. He looks at the dimmed streetlights above as Brendon drives, some lights were losing their power and were flickering on and off. The soft tune of Frank Sinatra plays through the speakers, He knows Brendon chose this above anything else the warden had in his car. He could only assume seeing as to how he had Frank tattooed on his arm and the whole aesthetic he's got going on.   
  
He closes his eyes once more as he listens to Brendon sing along, he's never heard something so angelic. It's such a bummer that he won't be able to hear him more after the chaos he has in mind for the man, beat him, torture him brutally. He wants to see his pretty face bruise up like an apple.  
  
A heavy hand lands on Tyler's thigh, he flinches at the contact but looks beside him to see Brendon smirking. "How ya doin', beautiful?" He asks, warm honey dripping from his tooth-rotting sweet tone. Tyler throws him a nervous smirk and nods "I'm great, babe." He used the same nickname that Brendon had been using, He wasn't sure if it was a good thing to say but it seemed to be, Brendon smirks and nods in return. He can't wait to kill him, he knows he's going to put up a fight. He knows he's going to be physical and hurt Tyler but he's starting to believe he likes the pain. The busted lips, the black eyes, the swollen cheeks, and missing teeth. He doesn't understand why he would, maybe the adrenaline rush you get when someone's coming at you and you've got a minimal amount of time to plan out your statistics of how you'll get out of the brawl alive? Possibly it's just the rush alone, He doesn't quite know and can't really find a reason to care.   
  
"At, I've got to pull off at the next exit to fill the tank. Do you want to stop somewhere else to get you something to eat or anything like that?" Brendon asks, Tyler snaps from his deep thought of being beat nearly to death before feasting on Brendon's flesh. "O-Oh, um...I'm good. I don't really want anything." He says, Brendon's eyes reflect concern as his grip on Tyler's thigh tightens slightly. "You sure, pumpkin? It's no hassle." He reassures, Tyler shakes his head and puts his hand on top on Brendon's. "I'm okay." Brendon nods and drifts off to the exit. Tyler watches the sign pass by before the bright florescent light from the gas station sign shows from beyond the trees. It almost looks abandoned except for a single pickup truck that just pulls in. Brendon stops at a pump as far from the truck as he could get before shutting the car off and going inside to pay for the gas.  
  
Tyler looks at the truck and back through the window to watch Brendon walk into the station. Tyler opens his door and walks to the truck, he doesn't know why he had an urge to walk over. Something was telling that he had to. A tall young man with curly brunette hair stands pumping gas into his truck and tapping foot with anticipation, clearing a victim of anxiety. "Hi." Tyler's soft voice greets, The man looks at him and gives him a slight nod. Tyler scoffs at him, "Quite rude not to greet back, don't ya think?" He says. The man looks back at him with irritation, "Excuse me?" Tyler laughs. "Oh! He speaks!" He shouts sarcastically, The man scoffs back and looks to the pump.  
  
Tyler slowly makes his way closer to the window of the truck and he peers through, He sees a young girl no older than 7 holding a teddy bear to her chest. The man is quick to grab Tyler's shirt and pull him away from the truck. "Hey! Piss off, you creep!" He shouts, Tyler looks at the man with sincere eyes. "I'm...I'm Tyler." He waits for an introduction from the other. "Okay, Tyler...do you mind going back to your car? You're scaring her." Tyler looks back to the girl. "Is she your daughter? Y-You look pretty young to be a father." he says. The man shakes his head. "No, She's my sister. Why?" he asks with a defensive expression.  
  
"Oh, no! I wasn't trying to be nosy or anything...Just...Never really talk to people. Thought this could help me a bit. I know I'm weird and I don't mean to scare you or...her." he says with a soft tone, almost a whisper. The man nods, "I don't talk much either, I get it." Tyler gives the man a slight smile. "I'm Josh." he finally introduces. Tyler smiles a bit wider. He thinks the man is properly beautiful, truly a suffered soul for sure. "Do you have a girlfriend?" Tyler asks, Josh blushes with shock before shaking his head. "U-Um, no. I kinda just said I don't talk much so I don't really think I would-" Tyler's chuckle interrupts Josh from rambling on any further.  
  
"I see you've got a friend with you, Where are you two off to?" Josh asks, Tyler's face washes with confusion before Brendon's rough hand grabs Tyler's sleeve. "C'mon, Ty. We've got to go. No time for socializing." He says with a deep and dangerous tone, Tyler feels his blood rush at his aggressiveness but it's quickly cut off as Josh stops them. "Hey! If he wants to talk then let him talk! He'll leave when he's ready." Josh takes a step forward as he defends Tyler, Brendon looks the kid up and down before scoffing. "It doesn't matter when he's ready, We're on a tight schedule. I'd suggest you fuck off before you get hurt." He growls and he tugs Tyler away from the man. Tyler looks back with a sheepish smile and a small wave, Josh watches as the car quickly swerves out of the parking lot. He also slowly catches the blood splattered along the window pane of the gas station near the counter.

* * *

Tyler holds his arms closely to his chest as Brendon speeds through the roads, "What the hell do you think you were doing, Ty?" He asks with anger as clear as day in his voice, Tyler looks to him with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry, I-I just wanted to read him. I'm getting good at it, I swear. I could tell he was scared about something, he looked almost guilty of something. He was tapping his foot and his hands were shaking slightly so it's obvious that he has anxiety, perhaps severe? I didn't have time to continue. It's a psychological study, you know? It's good to have when you want to kill, kind of the need to know if it's a good idea to kill them. If someone's going to miss them or if it's a quick way to be thrown back into that shit asylum." Tyler says with a quiet and defensive tone. Brendon sighs and nods, "Y-Yeah, I suppose you're right." Tyler smiles.  
  
"I killed the register guy back there, ya know. He knew me. I-I don't know how but he was going to call the cops, I couldn't let him do that. I can't lose you, Tyler. I love you, I hope you know that." He says, Tyler could tell he really meant it when he said it. "I love you too, Brendon." He smiles at the greased up gangster in front of him, He lays a kiss to Brendon's cheek as they drive. A gasp escapes Tyler's lips as Brendon slams on the brakes. "W-What, What happened?" He asks. He barely had time to turn his head as Brendon grabs either side of Tyler's face and draws him into a kiss, a rather deep and rough one. Nothing like what the had back at the diner. He liked being dominated, he didn't have to feel the pressure of being in control. Brendon bites onto Tyler's bottom lip, it's enough to make Tyler moan. Brendon uses it as an opportunity to slip his tongue into Tyler's mouth. Their tongues dance together as Tyler lets out soft moans, it sends blood rushing through Brendon's body.  
  
"T-Touch me, Brendon." Tyler moans, He happily obeys. His hands travel up Tyler's shirt and feel up his warm flesh, He smiles as he realizes he can no longer feel Tyler's ribs piercing through his torso. He pulls Tyler's body closer to his and lets his other hand tangle in his brunette hair and tug lightly. Tyler loves the feeling of being cared for, He knows that even though Brendon is going to be rough, he's going to take good care of his body.  
  
Brendon grabs Tyler's fragile frame and throws him into the backseat, He's quick to strip Tyler's clothes off of him. Tyler smiles as he sit up and unbuttons Brendon's white button up, He takes in the view of his bare skin and feels another feeling wash over him. He didn't have time to cherish the sight of his v-line and beautiful skin tone. He looks at the picturesque boy and moans with pleasure. He's never seen something so beautiful, He pulls Brendon into another rough kiss. Lips crashing into lips, teeth colliding and tongues fighting for dominance. His hands are everywhere, He pulls his hands in Brendon's hair. His other trying to decide which part of Brendon's skin to caress first, their hips grind against each other's as they desperately try to gain as much friction as they can before stripping the rest of their clothes off.  
  
"I love you." Tyler mutters, Brendon kisses and sucks at Tyler's neck as he continues to mutter the phrase. Brendon's hands travel down Tyler's body, down to the place he craved touch the most. Tyler thrusts up against Brendon's touch with a whimper, "P-Please, I need you." He whines, Brendon chuckles and gives Tyler's collarbone a kiss before undoing his belt and unbuttoning his pants, Tyler's mouth waters at the sight of Brendon's hardened cock in his boxer briefs. He unbuttons his own pants as Brendon pulls himself out of his undergarments, Tyler'll never get tired of the sight. Brendon helps peel the skinny jean from his legs and practically teas the boxers off of the twink before slowly pushing himself in, The sex is rough but intimate.  
  
The sweet compliments that pour from their lips, the loving eye contact they make as they moan and throws their head about. The touching, oh, the touching. Tyler never knew he liked someone's hand around his throat and squeezing him to the edge of blacking out until now. He never felt love like this, He doesn't know if he can find it in him to kill Brendon anymore. 

* * *

 _ ~~Tyler!~~_  
  
_~~Tyler!~~_  
  
_~~You need it!~~_  
  
_~~Do it, Do it now!!~~_  
  
Tyler wakes up in a cold sweat, The voices are screaming in his head. His skin feels like it's burning off and there's an evil creature with sharp claws just digging into his heart. He feels his skin draining of color and his hair raising on his arms as he makes eye contact with Brendon, he can't do this. He won't.  
  
~~_But you must!_~~  
  
"No!" Tyler screams, his back arches off the passenger seat and he screams in agony. Brendon's eyes burst open with worry and he quickly pulls the car over, He turns to Tyler and grabs his shoulders. "Tyler, baby! What's wrong?! You've got to tell me what's wrong!" He shouts with fear in his voice, Tyler finds it admirable that he shows true care but it doesn't matter now. Tyler shoves his hands off as he continues to squirm and scream, Brendon's eyes tear up as he watches Tyler in pain. He feels his heart break slowly as he continues, finally...he stops. His breathing remains heavy but stays at a constant rate, his body ceases movement except for his head. He slowly turns to Brendon with cold eyes, Brendon's seen crazy back at the asylum but this is pure insanity he saw. He knows he lost Tyler in that moment. "Ba-Baby?" He asks with a shaky tone, He hesitates before moving his hand to touch Tyler's face.  
  
Tyler is quick to grab the man's hand and bite into it as hard as he could before he turns around and slams open the car door, as Brendon screams in pain he opens his car door and walks around the car to see Tyler running off. His fragile body runs through the trees and out of sight, Brendon's eyes tear up as he watches him disappear. "Tyler!" He screams in agony, he can't lose him. Not now, he's all he has left. He was the only hope he had left. "Tyler, please!!" He shouts as he cries. He lost the love of his life.  
  
~  
  
Tyler breathes heavily as he runs, he feels as if he was recreating his mistakes from his childhood. Trusting someone like that, giving someone every part of him that he had to give. He remembers running from his mother, running through the woods. The smell of the trees and dirt as he fell down and scrapped up his flesh. He wants to feel anything at this moment. He can't feel love, or remorse, he can't even feel his own heartbeat. He wishes he stayed to let Brendon put up a fight so he could feel physical pain one last time. The only thing he has to remember Brendon by is the sweater he gave him and the littlest bit on blood that's still left on his lip.


	5. Sipping on straight chlorine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING, ATTEMPTED SUICIDE

Tyler didn't keep track of how far he was running or for how long, he just knew he couldn't stop. He ignored his lungs desperately inflating and deflating for any source of oxygen and the agonizing pain shooting up from his heels to his chest. His flesh burned red like a wild fire and sweat dripped from his forehead like rain on a crystal window, he whined as sharp tree branches from above scratched against his face and arms. He could still taste the savory metallic flavor of Brendon's blood on his tongue, he ached but he couldn't quite understand why it wasn't for the thick red juice from his veins or the tender meat from his strong bones. He thought that it's what he needed, so why didn't he want it anymore? He finally came to an abrupt stop, his legs shook as he stood still.  
  
He took the moment to catch his breath, his body seized as he cried. He doesn't know how far away he is, all he can gather to confess is that he's lost. Tyler bends over and grasps his knees as he takes a deep breath before he finally gives in and he breaks, he's never felt close to someone. He's known people, like Sharon and Jenna but never someone with a spirit quite as unique as Brendon's. Someone so full of life with a pearly white smile that could rob anyone without even asking or needing a weapon and a thirst for adventure. Nobody with a wicked laugh and a punk 20's biker vibe with a throbbing desire for danger and sex.  
  
All Tyler can hear above his sobs is Brendon's, he can still hear his voice as he shouted after Tyler. He could feel the hurt in his voice, he could see the pain in his tears as he saw Tyler's monster. **_W_ _hy did I do that?_**   is all Tyler can think. He balls his hands into fists and he hits his head as he cries, the only person who had hope for Tyler and the only one who's truly cared and loved him...and he left. Tyler's knees give out and he trembles to the dirt below him, the trees barely calmed him anymore. He can't find an ounce of security with the sight of tall pine trees and the dead logs that decorate the dirt from lightning strikes.  
  
Tyler closes his eyes with a shaky breath and lets one last tear drop, he's lost everything he's ever known within a week. He doesn't know how he got here but he sure as hell doesn't want to be here anymore. He knows he isn't fit for this world and without Brendon, there isn't a point in fighting to fit in. He sits up straight and looks around, he looks for an answer he knows he won't receive.  
  
The world's never done him any good, why would it start now? to his right, the only sight of color he can collect away from the black sky, moon light illuminated tree leaves, and moss below him was a singular yellow daisy. He found it rather strange that it was here, it stood out to him. Out of everything here, the flower made him feel as if he weren't alone, like he wasn't quite lost anymore. The stars above reflected off of the golden petals, Tyler finds the strength in him to finally stand up. He tilts his head back and takes a deep breath, the air smells clean but he still feels as if it's too thick to breath through. He stumbles his way to the flower and kneels to the ground, he lets his fingers caress the petals, he smiles at the touch and slowly brings his finger down to the stem and pulls the weed from it's place.  
  
Tyler stands once more and begins to walk, he has no sense of direction but something is pulling him East. He looks up at the sky and watches a star fall, he values the beauty as he body leads him towards something unknown. The twigs beneath his feet snap as he walks at a moderately slow pace, one foot slowly lifts and steps in front of the other. He can see a bright light from a distance, he's not sure if it's coming from a house but he can see light coming from a small building just ahead. Tyler tilts his head with curiosity as he approaches, it appears as a building but no where close to the look of a house; He can see only two vehicles parked behind the building. He can see an exit to a nearby highway, he assumes he's in the middle of nowhere. He hasn't seen a single car pass by.  
  
He takes a few cautious steps away from the trees and steps onto the cement, his feet carry him to one of the vehicles. He approaches a large semi-truck with confusion, why is he being lead here? He notices the other car and he feels a rush of deja vu, he ignores the feeling and walks behind the trailer. He stares at the pad-lock on the back, he curses to himself as he stares it down. He's burning inside, something is shouting in his ears to open it.  
  
He doesn't even know what's inside but he feels as if he needs it. His delicate fingers reach for the lock and he studies the dials, a four digit code that he doesn't know the answer to. His body begins to tingle as his sense fill with the scent of a sweet, sweet chemical. His eyes roll into the back of his head as he takes in a deep inhale, he can smell the chlorine bottles from inside of the trailer. He remembers the scent from the nurses, they always used it for cleaning the floors. He's even heard conversations through his thick walls at night of them even sneaking small doses into their water system. He always wondered why someone was always sick, vomiting in the halls late at night.  
  
His fingertips scrambled against the dials, he went off on a whim and guessed a code. He pulled the lock and punched the door when it wouldn't open. He presses his head against the door and hums to himself, what can he do? He steps back and paces around the truck, searching for an answer. He continues pacing back and forth, back and forth. He tilts his head as he looks at the potholes beneath his feet, he hits himself on the head a few times before walking back to the trailer and trying a code once more. He puts in the only number he's ever remembered. 1-8-7-3, it was his patient number. He partly believes it to work.  
  
Too his surprise, the lock clicks and the lock drops off on the trailer. His eyes widen and light up as he grabs the rusted lever on the doors and lifts it upwards, his hands grab the handles and he pulls the doors wide open. He moans as the scent of the toxic chemical grows stronger, He grabs ahold of the truck and pulls himself inside, his eyes scan around the area of the truck and at every individual package, hundreds of packaged bottles of death just awaiting for him. He grabs a box and rips it open with his jagged fingernails, he grabs a bottle and quickly jumps out of the truck.  
  
He slams the doors back shut and slowly walks away from the trailer, he unscrews the top and sticks his nose over the liquid. He takes in a deep breath and hums, it tingles his nose and makes his body shiver. He's never loved something more.  
  
Tyler brings the bottle to his lips and he tilts the bottle upwards, the liquid tingles and burns his tongue as it pours into his mouth. He can feel it rip through his throat as he swallows, he feels off balance and he feels a strong high coming over him. His senses seize, he barely notices the body of another run up to him and pull the bottle from his hands and hold him close. He feels a hand lightly touching his neck before bringing him to the backseat of a car and the muffled voices shout as he feels them speed off.

* * *

Tyler awakens to a bright light above his head, white walls and hospital clothes wrapped around his body. He bites his lip and looks at the bed he's lying in and the blurred body sitting beside him, It's can't be.  
  
"S-Sharon? Is that you?"  
  
"Tyler?" The voice speaks softly, as if it were unsure of asking.  
  
"What happened? Y-You're not...?" Tyler asks as he has flashing memories of slitting her wrists.  
  
"Tyler, it's going to be okay. They're going to help you." They speak once more, Tyler notices something. Though the voice is muffled, it's much deeper than Sharon's. His vision slowly fades back, still blurred but slightly visible. He can make out two figures, a man and a young girl holding a teddy bear.   
  
"J-Josh?" Tyler asks as he sits up, Josh is quick to carefully lie Tyler back down. "Hey, Hey, It's okay. Just relax, we're not going to hurt you." he reassures. Tyler grabs ahold of his wrist and he takes a deep breath, "Why...Why am I here? Why are _you_ here?" he asks. Josh sits back down and sighs, "Abby and I were at a rest stop just off of 131 to grab a drink and as I came outside you were drinking chlorine. What was I supposed to do? Let you slowly kill yourself? I couldn't stand there and do nothing, you started to stumble so I grabbed you and rushed you here." he states.   
  
"Y-You...You-" Tyler tries to speak but he can't find words, his stomach begins to ache and he feels like puking. "They pumped your stomach while you were out, I think they cleared most of it. Where is your friend? The tall one with the tattoos, did he leave you out here by yourself? Were you in danger with him?" Josh asks, Tyler sighs and shakes his head before turning to Josh. "Did he...Did he hurt you?" Tyler shakes his head, as his vision begins to clear he can begin to see how beautiful the boy really is. His black curly hair fits his soft eyes and calming voice.   
  
"He killed that man at the gas station. Did you run away to save yourself?" Josh asks, Tyler closes his eyes and shrugs. "I guess you could say that. It's more like I was saving him from myself." he says with a raspy tone. Before Josh could put a word in, a nurse walks in and smiles. "You're awake, great. How're we feeling, Tyler?" she asks as she puts a clipboard on the counter. "I'm...I'm fine." She nods and looks to Josh. "Could you step out for just a moment, sir." Josh hesitates before standing up. "It's okay, we're just going to ask a few questions." Josh nods and takes Abby's hand before looking at Tyler as he walks out the door.   
  
The nurse takes a seat just beside him and smiles. "I'm Dr. Wiersma, do you know why you're here?" she asks. Tyler nods, she hums and looks him up and down. "I understand that what you did was on purpose, correct?"   
  
Tyler nods. She writes down a few things that make Tyler worry. "Do you have a last name? We need to keep track of medical records in here." Tyler nods. "Joseph, Tyler Joseph." She smiles and slides her chair over to her desktop and searches his name, he can hear her audible gasp. Her fingers tremble as he hesitates to turn around. From just over her shoulder Tyler can see his picture on her computer screen. He can read the word murder, wanted, and a brief story of his last night at the hospital.  
  
She turns around and gives him a nervous smile. "U-Um, I understand you were at an asylum before this?" she asks, she was obviously terrified to speak to him. Tyler's eyes study her as he sits up and shakes his head. "This is a big misunderstanding. Please don't send me back." Her eyes widen as she stands up, Tyler swings his legs over the bedside and stands up too. "P-Please, I don't mean any harm, I won't tell anyone." Tyler watches her trembling hand reach behind her and attempt to open the drawer, he can only imagine she's reaching for a weapon to protect herself. He runs towards her and grabs her by the collar of her uniform and throws her to the floor.   
  
She gasps and whimpers as Tyler sits on top of her and grabs her throat, Her eyes widen with fear as his hands tighten around her. He can feel the air in her throat cut off and her begging for any ounce of oxygen she can gather, his adrenaline pumps through his veins. His knuckles grow white as he chokes her, her face begins to grow blue as she tries to plead for her life.  
  
Her suppressed voice is cut short once Tyler hears an audible snap. His eyes widen and hands slowly let go as he drops her head against the white tiles below. Tyler lets out a shaky breath as he stands back up, what does he do now? He runs a nervous hand through his hair as he paces back and forth, the only answer he can find is a closet. He opens the doors and finds his clothes hung up on a wire hanger, he whines as he grabs his clothes out and stuffs her body in the furniture. He quickly settles back to his bed and tucks himself in. He closes his eyes as a knock comes to the door.  
  
After a few seconds the door opens, Josh's soft voice asks for permission to enter. Tyler opens his eyes and hums, Josh's face fills with confusion. "Where's the nurse?" he asks, Tyler sits up and tries to look as confused as him. "She didn't pass by? I could've sworn she just left." he lies. Josh hums and shrugs it off as he makes his way back to the chair beside Tyler's bed with Abby by his side. "What'd she say?"   
  
"She wanted to send me to a looney bin, Josh. You can't let me back there." He says, he instantly regrets speaking. Josh sits back and bites his tongue. " _Back_?" Tyler shakes his head. "I-I wasn't a patient. My boyfriend, Brendon...He was there. He said it was hell, I've seen how they treat people. I don't want to go there." he says. Josh holds Tyler's hand and nods. "I won't let them do that to you." He looks to Abby, "Okay, listen. Don't ever do what I'm going to do, sweetie." she nods with worry.  
  
Josh looks back to Tyler with a nervous expression. "Do you trust me?" Tyler nods. He nods back and he picks Tyler up out of his bed and looks at the clothes on the counter, he can only assume that they're Tyler's and he helps redress him. Josh does his best to not ask about his scars on his body. "Can you stand on your own?" he asks, Tyler nods and follows Josh. They open the door and scan the area, Tyler can only find 3 doctors nearby. They look tough enough to stop them both. A shaky whine takes Tyler away from the outside, he looks down at Abby's scared face and he picks her up. "Don't worry, pumpkin. We're going to be okay." he assures while looking directly into her beautiful brown eyes, she smiles and nods. "Okay." her innocent voice speaks.  
  
"Let's go." Josh says as he grabs ahold of Tyler's hand and they bolt through the lobby together, both ignoring the several doctors yelling and chasing after them. They run past the confused secretary and the push open the fragile glass doors and run through the empty parking lot, Tyler looks up at the sun rise. The start to a new day seems like the only thing that's helping him run. They reach Josh's truck and Tyler quickly enters, holding the young girl in his lap as Josh enters and digs into his coat pocket for his keys, Tyler looks to his right as a doctor reaches the door and yanks on the door handle, Tyler's heart begins to race as Josh finally pulls out his keys. Lucky for them both, the doors locked automatically. Tyler smiled widely as the doctor curses. Josh quickly starts up his vehicle and speeds off onto the open roads and onto the nearest highway.  
  
Tyler takes a deep breath and exhales shakily. "Oh, my god." he says with a huff. Josh leans back in his seat and sighs, "Fuck." is all Josh can manage to say. Tyler giggles and looks to Josh. "T-Thank you. Really. Why are you doing all of this for me?" he asks, he can barely believe someone would have so much trust in someone they met at a dirty gas station. "I don't know, It's just the humanly thing to do." Tyler sighs at the thought that he just murdered a woman beforehand. 

* * *

The car ride was somewhat quiet, the radio playing soft tunes from the 60's was playing and Josh lightly hummed along to a few songs. Tyler thought it was kind of cute to see his taste, how different it was from Brendon's. It only took a few more minutes before he heard a rumbling of the stomach of the little girl still in his lap and her puppy eyes light up. "Joshie, I'm hungry." she lightly complains. Josh looks to her and nods, "The next stop is only three minutes away, we'll get ya something." he says as he smiles. Tyler begins to shake his leg and bounce the girl with a smile, she giggles at the man as she holds her teddy bear close to her chest. "Your hair is so pretty." Tyler compliments as he run his fingers through his soft, ginger hair. She smiles, "Thank you. Yours is pretty too." she begins to tangle her fingers in Tyler's scalp and he begins to giggle along with her. Josh is still on ease with Tyler but it brings him joy to hear her laugh like that again.  
  
The minutes pass by with Tyler complimenting her freckles and her laughs as he braids her hair, he only knew how because of Jenna. It's not like he would even need to know anyways but it seemed to do him some good now. The truck pulled off an exit and Josh pulled into a McDonald's for the girl, she smiled as Tyler opened the door and let her down. Josh shut off his car and stepped out, He lead them both inside. Abby ordered an average happy meal, Josh ordered 20 chicken nuggets and decided to share half and half with Tyler. They sat in a booth together as Abby used the play place to her entertainment, the area was empty but still reeked like sweaty socks and hamburgers. Josh took a sip off his coke before looking at Tyler. "So, What's your story?" he asks, Tyler scoffs as he bites into a nugget. "I'm not entirely sure. I only know a few things, not very cinematic up here." he points to his head. Josh chuckled and shrugged. "Meaning..?"  
  
"I have amnesia, I don't know anything up until this year. The first thing I can remember is blowing out the 16 candles on my birthday cake." he says as he stuffs a handful of French fries in his mouth. Josh nods, "Well...Abby and I, We ran away."  
  
"So did I." Tyler mumbles. Josh smirked and looked back to Abby who was too occupied with the purple slide to hear the conversation. "You know what you're gonna do from here on?" Josh asks. Tyler almost chokes on his fries. "W-What? You're going to leave me here?" He asks with worried eyes. Josh bites his nails and sighs, "I don't know. I want to know why you were with that man. How many people has he killed? Your boyfriend." Josh asks, Tyler feels a rush of guilt flow through him and he looks at the ground. He doesn't want to speak about Brendon right now.  
  
"I...I don't know. He wasn't my boyfriend." He looks back up to the cute boy and blushed. "I-I am single though, I'm a man's man." Josh rolls his eyes, "I don't swing that way, okay. I just need answers." Tyler grunts with frustration. Tyler looks beyond Josh's head as he speaks and he can see beyond the doors to see two police officers at the counter ordering. His hands begin to shake and he looks back to Josh, "We have to go." he says urgently.  
  
"What, why?" Josh asks with confusion, He looks back to the cops then back to Tyler only to see his absence. Tyler had already stood up and walked to the end of the slide and grabbed Abby's hand. "C'mon, baby. We're going back on the road." He begins to walk to the door and Josh grabs Tyler's shoulder. "You're not taking her anywhere." Tyler lets go of her hand and looks at Josh. "We need to go." He looks back to the cops and looks at them murmuring to each other, his eyes begins to water and he grabs Josh. "Josh, Come on." Josh starts to paint the picture as the cops begin to walk their way, Tyler walks back to their table and grabs the tray their food was served on and holds it tightly in hand. A cop looked to Josh as he entered, "Is he with you?" he asks Josh. He nods and the sheriff begins to approach Tyler, Josh jumps as Tyler screams and winds the tray back before striking the cop in the head and running out of the door.   
  
Josh is taken back as the sheriff stands back up and nods to the cop talking to Josh before they both begin to run to his car, Josh picks up Abby as she begins to cry. Josh runs through the restaurant and to his car, his hands shake as struggles to start up his truck. He just barely pulls off after the cops. He speeds off down the road and chases the blaring sirens, he can just barely capture the silhouette of Tyler's slender body running, Josh steadies his hands on the steering wheel and rear ends the police car. The car swerves lightly before Josh tilts his head and pushes his gas pedal to the floor and rams their car off of the road, the car spins out and just barely misses Tyler. His body stops and turns around as Josh's truck comes to an abrupt stop beside him, Tyler's eyes are wide open as one of the officers opens their door and pulls out their gun. "Tyler!" Josh yells to him through the window, Tyler looks back to Josh and jumps into the trunk and Josh quickly speeds away.  
 

* * *

As the sun set, Tyler realizes he and his knight in shining armor are criminals on the run. Tyler holds his arms close to his chest and keeps his distance as Josh pays for a motel room, Abby looks beyond traumatized and Tyler can perfectly understand why. It didn't seem like Josh to put him and his sister in danger like this. Tyler keeps quiet as Josh angerly takes his room card from the woman's hands and walks out of the lobby with Abby's hand in his. Tyler hesitates before following Josh to their room. It isn't the same but it reminds him of the night with Brendon when they were pigging out on junk food.  
  
Once they entered their room, Josh sits down on a chair and he pulls out a pair of pajamas from Abby's suitcase before handing them to her. She takes them and puts them on, Josh looks terrified as he tucks her into bed. He sits down beside her and takes out her braids, he looks at her worried eyes and begins to talk her down from another anxiety attack. Tyler's eyes tear up at the sight, he turns around to open the door and he quickly walks down the stairs to the vending machines, he leans against the brick wall beside the machines and looks up at the black sky. He can't see a single star, he can't even find the moon. The only thing he can see is his clouded breath under the street light. His moment of isolated silence is interrupted by the sound of a door from above him closing lightly and a pair of footsteps come down the stairs, he isn't surprised to see that it's Josh.   
  
Josh leans against the wall next to Tyler and pulls out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, he pulls one out and sticks it between his teeth before motioning the pack towards Tyler. He shakes his head politely, "I-I don't smoke." Josh scoffs, "Me neither." He pulls out a lighter and flicks it over his mouth, Tyler watches as he takes in a deep drag and blows the smoke out through his nose. Tyler continues to hold his arms close to him, he hesitates before looks at Josh as if he wasn't allowed to do so. It only takes him a moment to look back. "Why did you do that?" Tyler asks.   
  
"I could ask you the same." he scoffs as he takes another drag. Tyler sighs and leans his head back. "I killed someone. Well, multiple. I've stolen clothes and food and...-" he looks at Josh and starts to cry. "I-" Tyler can't find the proper words to speak, He begins to sniffle and weep as he bends over and holds onto his kneecaps.  
  
"I was abandoned, I don't know when and I don't know my family. All I know is they raised me to eat people, I kill to eat. Not for joy, I hate it but my body begins to ache and-and I have these episodes...I drank that chlorine in hopes that I wouldn't hurt anyone else. I just wanted to escape. They're after me because I've killed and they want to send me back to the asylum in Columbus." he spills out his thoughts like word vomit as he cries, Josh listens with wide eyes and continues to take small drags from his cigarette. Josh leans back and sighs, "I think I killed someone too." he begins.   
  
Tyler looks up with red eyes as he wipes his tears away, "W-What?" Josh looked down at his feet and sighed. "My dad. He's an alcoholic, an abusive one too. He hits me or Abby every night, he's been like that since my mom died and when Abby's left him it just got worse." He handed his cigarette to Tyler and he now took it and took a drag. "I'm not sure if I killed him or not but I hurt him pretty badly the night we left." Josh confesses. Tyler nods and looks at Josh, "So now what? Are you still going to leave me?" he asks cautiously. Josh looks at the floor and shrugs. "You're not going to eat me, are you? Is that why you're not with your boyfriend?" he asks.  
  
Tyler shakes his head. "I wanted to, but I couldn't do that to him so I ran off. I don't know where he is now and I've already mentioned...he's not my boyfriend, just a pal. I won't do that to you either, I would run if I felt the need to. I won't put either of you in danger like that." he says with a plead. Josh nods and approaches Tyler.  
  
He stands chest to chest with the boy and takes the cigarette from his trembling lips and took the final drag before dropping it to the floor and extinguishing the flame with his boot.  Tyler looked up into Josh's eyes and he actually felt something, it wasn't an agonizing ache this time. He felt a happy tingly feeling in his stomach, he could explain it but right after he felt his cheeks burn a bright red. Josh smirked at the boy and ran a rough hand through his hair, Tyler closed his eyes at the delicate touch. "You can come back up when you're ready." he whispered in Tyler's ear before stepping back and walking back up to his room.   
  
Tyler opened his eyes and exhaled. What did he get himself into?


	6. 50 words for murder, and I'm everyone of them

The low, flickering streetlights up above the damp concreate reflect off just enough lighting for Brendon to see maybe about 20 feet ahead of him. He's been driving below 10 MPH for the past few hours, his gas tank is damn near empty and his cramping hand tightens around the steering wheel every passing second. He's been shouting Tyler's name through the window as he drives in what feels like circles, he can't imagine that he'd last much longer than an hour on his own. He knows how dangerous Tyler can be but does he have the strength within him to fight off 400 lbs of muscle waiting to rip him a new one. Tyler's crazy but he's still small, he's just barely reaching a healthy weight and just a few days ago he didn't know what a glove compartment was.  
  
The loud ** _ping_** tears Brendon's attention from the trees and alerts him that he's only got about 15 miles until the car is practically unusable, "Ah, shit." he hisses to himself. His hand lets go just for a moment then he quickly pounds his balled up fist against the wheel with a heavy heart full of rage. He's never had the best of luck anyways.

Brendon closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before slamming his foot against the gas pedal and swerving down the corroded asphalt to the nearest pitstop. His injured hand when Tyler had bitten him had began to sting about 15 minutes after it happened, he couldn't tell whether it was from the dirt and blood already on his hands or from whoever else had been caught in Tyler's teeth. Fresh blood still faintly drips from the cut, he pays it no attention and continues to drift along the road.  
  
It doesn't take long before he can see an exit sign directing him to a nearby gas station, he prays that it doesn't end up like last time.   
  
He slowly pulls into the station and steps out of his car for the first time, he feels like a part of him is lost. He closes his eyes and throws his head back. The light sprinkle of rain hits against his face and the cool breeze blows through his hair, the air smells like pine trees and oil. He growls lowly as he opens his eyes to the endless black abyss, not a single star decorates the cold Ohio sky above. He can't say that he's surprised but he'd still like to see at least one, just one would give him enough hope to keep pushing to find his prince.  
  
He's uncertain whether Tyler wanted to be found or not, he doesn't even know if he's alive right now. If he's in danger, asleep, roadkill, or on his way back to where he abandoned the car. Brendon curses at himself with the last thought. The only thing that stops him from running back is the fact that he's entirely unsure on how to get back. If he couldn't find a way back then Tyler sure as hell wouldn't either, he's sure of that. Brendon fills his tank once more and takes off down the road to continue his wild goose chase without any leads.

* * *

 Tyler doesn't remember getting sleep this good in years, somehow the springy, rotting, smelly motel mattress underneath him felt better than the memory foam beds provided at the asylum. There isn't a spot on the bed that isn't stained with god knows what, it's not what he'd like to sleep on every night but he likes the softness of the sheets. It was warm and reminded him of Josh, soft and delicate. The sheets were the only nice thing about this place, Tyler took off Brendon's jacket and wrapped it over Abby sometime during the night. Josh was afraid of what kind of diseases or bugs the beds could contain so he had her sleep over the top of her blanket, the heat didn't particularly work a solid 10 out of 10 so Tyler assured that she'd be warm enough to get the perfect amount of rest to sleep off the memories of her brother running from the cops.  
  
Josh would've thanked him if he were conscious, Tyler was certain of that. What Tyler couldn't exactly wrap his mind around was his interaction with Josh the night prior, why didn't Josh leave him behind? Why did he do all of this for him? Did he want to kiss him last night? Did Tyler want to kiss _him_ back? If he weren't so exhausted, he probably would've stayed up all night pondering question after question. The ear shrieking sound of Tv static makes Tyler shoot up out of bed with his eyes open wide and his heart beating a million times faster than it should be. He's surprised to see Josh in the bed beside him shoot up with the same reaction, their eyes both lock on the little girl sitting in front of the television on her knees with her teddy bear by her side and her tiny hands covering her ears.   
  
Josh slides off of the bed and hurries over to the Tv and shuts off the volume, Abby looks up with glossy eyes and a fragile voice. "I-I'm sorry, Joshie. I-I just wa-wanted to w-watch Barney and f-friends." she begins to cry into her small palms, Tyler watches the siblings hug each other and Josh comforts her and tells her that it's okay. For the first time, Tyler smiles so wide that he almost sheds a tear. He wonders if he ever had any siblings, maybe they'd been close like that once before?  
  
Josh turns his head to Tyler and smiles, Tyler hesitates before smiling back. He isn't sure why this boy has made him as nervous as he is, maybe it's his boyish charm or just his soft alluring eyes that are the perfect shade of hazelnut brown. "How's about we go get some breakfast then we can try to find Barney?" he asks his sister for approval despite the fact that he keeps his eyes on Tyler. Tyler gulps and avoids the eye contact, he rubs the back of his neck as he looks at the bland wallpaper. She jumps to her feet with a delighted giggle, "Pancakes!" she shouts with her arms in the air, Josh laughs and nods. "The queen has spoken, pancakes it is." he says with his deep, silky tone of voice.   
  
Tyler would be lying if said it didn't send shivers down his spine whenever he spoke, it's a voice he'd love to hear scream but definitely not out of terror. Tyler smirks at the thought but is quickly pulled from his trance when he watches Josh help his sister pull her coat on, he didn't even notice the both of them dress. Tyler shoots up once more and rips his shirt off and desperately tries to find his black tee, Josh looks him up and down and bites his cheek hard enough to taste blood. Finally he finds the hem peeking out from under the bed, he groans before bending over and pulling it from under the bed and over his head. He grabs his sweatshirt off of Josh's bed and sighs, he's tired of running.   
  
"Ready when you are, boss." Tyler says to the man, Josh scoffs with a playful grin before grabbing keys from the table and approaching the front door. "Well c'mon." he says, Tyler turns back to Josh and follows the siblings out of the motel room and to their truck.

* * *

The blood drips from Brendon's hands, he growls as the bartender beside him screams. Her acrylics cover her red lips as she stumbles back and shrieks at the horrid sight, Brendon's blood splattered face looks back to the woman with the shattered scotch glass still in hand. "Now...Now you see, that's what happens when you disrespect me. So, if I could place a complaint...this glass is very much filthy. I'd like a new one and a refill, pretty please." He growls in a menacing tone to the shaking woman as he slams the glass onto the counter, she frantically nods and reaches for the glass. Once her delicate hand touches the broken pane, Brendon's opposite grabs her wrist. She yelps out of terror, with her eyes wide she listens to Brendon as he speaks. "Don't even think about callin' the cops, you'll already be another stain on the tiles by the time they get here." he reminds her, she nods as he lets go of her wrist.   
  
Brendon sinks back onto the stool and he stares at the man's body on the floor beneath him as he throat continues to spew blood onto his band tee, Brendon scoffs with a grin at his body. "Wanna get another for our friend, think he'd like a Bloody Mary?" he jokes, the woman's eyes begin to gloss over as she looks at his grin. He chuckles and shakes his head, "I'm only kidding, doll. Why so serious?" She places his new glass onto the counter and pours scotch onto the ice. Brendon smiles as he grabs his cup and downs the strong liquor in one swig. He hisses at the flavor and slams the new glass back onto the counter, the aggressive action makes the woman jump. Brendon steps off of the stool and walks around her empty bar with a scowl, "This place is such a fuckin' dump, you're lucky I came into here. Finally gave you some goddamn action, huh?" he laughs as he walks to the jukebox and selects his favorite Sinatra song.   
  
He snaps his fingers and bops his head to the music as he walks back to her, he holds his hand out to her and pops a cigarette into his mouth. "Care to dance with the devil?" he asks as he lights his cigarette. She stumbles her way from behind the counter and takes his hand as she whimpers. He pulls her close and pets his hand through his blonde curls, the blood stains the strains into a reddish-pink. He holds her hips close to his body and sways her around the room, she cries into his chest as he begins to sing the lyrics. He looks down and scoffs "This ain't no time to cry, doll. Be thankful that you ain't dead yet, celebrate life while you have it." he mumbles into her ear. She exhales and pulls away from Brendon to look at him, she recognizes him from the news reports. She hates herself for not noticing sooner, she bites her tongue in order to fight her tears.  
  
"Please, you don't have to do this." she pleads as she backs away from the man, Brendon rolls his eyes and chuckles. "Pleading isn't going to help you, god's not going to save you this time. And yeah, I suppose that I don't _have_ to do this...but damn does it feel good to." he says before he approaches her and withdraws his switchblade from his jacket.

* * *

Tyler spent the day staring at Josh, searching for answers. He wanted to know if he liked him the way Brendon had, or if he was afraid at all. Afraid for not only his safety but his sisters, what if Tyler was lying about warning him? Did Josh really trust him, and if so...why? He never got an answer for any of his questions but he did receive pleasure from analyzing every last detail of his face, he was so beautiful. He wasn't your average man, he was something better, something majestic.   
  
The sun had set once more with a beautiful orange fading into a midnight blue, Abby is leaning up against Josh as she dozes off into unconsciousness. His arm is wrapped securely around her as he drives down the isolated road, Tyler liked this feeling. It just felt so safe despite the fact that every police officer in the state of Ohio was looking for them. Josh is trying to figure out his plan for when they get out of the state, whether he's going to take Tyler with them to their next stop. He's not even sure if he could get out with out a high speed chase, he didn't want this for Abby but he can't leave her alone with their father again.   
  
Josh's hand tightens around the steering wheel as the streetlights illuminate his path, he looks to Tyler for a moment before looking back to the road. "J-Josh?" Tyler didn't even notice his name slip from his lips until Josh looked back once more. "Everything okay?" he asks, Tyler's eyes widen slightly before he nods. His hands begin to clam up as they ball up in his lap, Tyler can feel his blood rushing through his body as he tries to converse with the mysterious silhouette beside him. He can feel his heart pick up a heavier and faster beat as he fights back a smile.  
  
"We're gonna make a quick pitstop, just need to see how much money I've got on my card. Need enough to get out of the state, for gas and such..." he trails off as he speaks, Tyler nods and bites onto his lip as he turns to the window. He feels his blood rushing more and more, he can't help but cross his legs while covering his lap with his clammed hands. "Y-Yeah, a pitstop would be great..." he mumbles, he needs to rid of his problem like Brendon had done for him once before.  
  
Josh can see Tyler cross his legs from beside him and instantly blushes, "S-Sorry..." he says, it's so quiet that it mind as well have been said to himself. Good to know the tension isn't just in his head.  
  
It isn't long before he sees a lonely bank on the corner, the **OPEN** sign is still ignited and flashing, Josh takes the detour and quickly opens his door. Abby sits up with confusion as he awakes. Josh lifts her out of the seat and holds her hand as they walk to the entrance, Tyler keeps his jacket balled in his lap as he follows them inside. He's thankful to see the bathroom sign beside the lobby, he quickly runs down the hall and into the isolated room. He slams the door shut and leans his forehead against the cold door, the light automatically flicks on and Tyler can feel the goosebumps begin to form on his arms. He steps back and locks the door before looking down at his problem, he sighs shakily and hesitates to unbuckle his belt and open his jeans.  
  
The reflection of his actions are presented before him in the mirror above his line of sight, he isn't embarrassed but he doesn't want to watch himself as he relieves the pressure that's been building up for the past few days. He steps away from the mirror and leans up against the wall before he pulls his boxers down just enough to slip out, he takes a deep breath at the feeling. He closes his eyes before spitting into his hand and lowering down.  
  
Josh looks around the empty lobby and instantly feels uneasy, he knows that the town seemed very desolated but this is just creepy. He walks up to the counter and isn't surprised when he doesn't see a single person behind, he groans as he rings the bell. He leans over the counter and looks around, "Hello? Anybody here?" he shouts, finally a woman with a stained smile comes to his aid. "How may I help you?" her voice is scratchy and deep, Josh feels a chill down his spine but ignores it before he slides her his card. "I need to make a withdrawal." he says, she looks down with a disgusted expression and picks up his card. She slides it through and types away at her buttons before looking at Abby.   
  
"How much you want t-" "All of it!" Josh shouts impatiently. He clears his throat and takes a deep breath "A-All of it, ma'am." he says calmer. She makes another face before making the transaction. Josh looks out the window and watches as a car pulls into the parking lot, he assumes it's either a worker coming to take her shift or someone else looking to bum a loan. He looks back as the woman counts out 7 hundred bills and few 20's, she lies them on the counter and slides him his money, card, and receipt. "Have a nice day..." She mumbles, Josh takes the items and rolls his eyes before taking a seat in the lobby. Abby sits beside him and plays with her bear, Josh can hear her talking a deeper voice to portray as her bear. He always adores how she plays pretend. He counts the cash out before stuffing it into his wallet, he didn't want to be tracked every time he made a purchase so he thought this would be the easiest alternative.  
  
Josh taps his leg impatiently as he waits for Tyler to come out of the restroom, he understands it might be a minute but he's not sure if he has that much time on his hands looking at the circumstances. That's when he realizes something odd, that car outside. It hadn't moved since he last looked but no one has came out either, he never saw someone exit the vehicle nor had he heard the bell above the door chime. He looks up at the clock above one of the windows and notices the time, they've been sitting in the lobby for half an hour. Josh knows it's shitty but he doesn't have time left, he looks beside him to Abby and sighs. "We gotta go, Abby." he says, her eyes look back to him with worry.  
  
"What about Tyler?" she asks, Josh groans and looks at the floor. He forgot that he started developing a relationship with the young girl, "He'll catch up with us when he's ready. We really have to go." He insists. She shakes her head but he really can't wait. He grabs the girl from her seat and walks to the exit, he ignores her complaints as he grabs his keys out from his pocket. The mysterious car's door finally opens once Josh's foot hits the pavement of the cracked parking lot. He ignores them as he unlocks his truck and sets Abby in the passenger seat and buckles her seatbelt, once he steps back and closes her door, he notices a heavy presence of a man behind him. Now, he would've ignored it if he didn't hear the click of a gun being loaded.  
  
Josh feels his throat dry instantly and he freezes in his place, "Take it easy, boy. I saw you inside with that pretty girl o' yours and just wanted to compromise. You seem like a guy who knows his way around a deal to protect his loved ones." His deep voice speaks, Josh closes his eyes and lets out a shaken breath. "Don't hurt her...please." Josh turns around with his hands in the air, he can see the man before him. Tall, heavyset with a salt and peppered beard. Face full of dirt and smells like a dumpster, he figures it's a homeless man that somehow hotwired an abandonded car and had gotten his hands on the weapon with easy money on the street.  
  
"How much you got on you? And don't even try to lie to me, boy. I saw you counting all that cash in the lobby." he spits, Josh begins to shake. He can't lose everything now, not right now.  
  
"I-I..." he begins to choke on his words, he can't find the strength to talk. "Hand it over or I'll just have to kill ya...even better, I'll take that little girl off yer hands and tie her up nice and tight like a Christmas present for my boys." he chuckles as Josh's face scowls with anger despite the tears running down his cheeks. "N-No...You're not going to touch her!" he defends, The man pops a round in the air before reloading one in the chamber. "Is that so? I think my gun disagrees with you. Now hand over that cash or otherwise."  
  
  
  
Tyler washes the silky white substance off of his hands with a renewed satisfaction. He looks up at his flushed face in the mirror as he cleans his hands of sin, he notices his forehead is glazed with a thin layer of sweat, his cheeks are inflamed into a strawberry red. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as he tightly grips the edges of the sink to stabilize himself and grasp back onto reality, he hasn't felt that good in a long time. It takes a few moments before he finally regains himself, he straightens out his clothes one last time before opening the locked door, he's surprised to be greeted by an empty lobby rather than a handsome boy with an inviting smile and a girl with tangerine hair.  
  
He steadily walks through the lobby with confusion, not a person in sight. It's just like it was when they arrived, he can't help but freeze in his place once his eyes target Abby's teddy bear lying on the ground near a lounge chair, he feels the air from his lungs evaporate before his very eyes. He runs over to the chair and kneels beside her bear, his eyes look at the object and his fingers grip the seams of one of the legs. He looks up to the woman behind the counter, once their eyes meet she stands from her chair and closes her window, Tyler tilts his head to the side and grips the bears leg tighter and tighter with every passing second, he looks around him once more for any sign of the two. Nothing.  
  
He slowly regains his thoughts and he takes a stand. He starts to believe that he's been abandoned again, he turns about desperately searching for them. His eyes begin to water before he finally locks his sight on his truck outside the window. His eyes also target the gun. He feels his muscles tighten up and that burning sensation begins to ache again. He feels the constant scratching and pulling from under his chest, The cold sweats and the voices. He feels his mouth water as he watches the man wave his gun around, he watches how the muscles on the larger man flex then relax again, Tyler shakily puts one foot in front of the other and makes his way to the door with ease. He opens the door slowly and watches the man as he shoots a round into the air. He can see the tears on Josh's face, he can see the fear under his pain. He can see surrender, weakness, a heart of gold, and a survivor.   
  
"I'll give you what you want, just d-don't hurt her..." Josh pleads as he slowly reaches for his wallet, Tyler stays as still as he can as he watches the man snatch the wallet from Josh's fingers and count the cash inside. An evil chuckle comes deep from the man's belly and he keeps his gun on Josh. "I think I'm missing something." he mumbles, Josh tilts his head with confusion. "Step aside, boy. Don't make this difficult." Josh shakes his head frantically, "N-No, p-please." his voice cracks as his tears start to pour heavier. Tyler can feel the monster inside of him aching to erupt, he stops walking once the heavy man wraps his hand around Josh's throat and forces him aside. Once Josh screams, that's when Tyler lets go and stops holding back.  
  
A rough and aggressive outcry comes deep from within Tyler's chest and he runs up behind the man, he doesn't hesitate before digging his nails into the man's ribcage and kicking the back of his knee to have the greater advantage. Once the man stumbles down onto one knee, Tyler digs his hand in the man's thinning hair and pulls his head to the side. Josh watches with terror as Tyler sinks his teeth into the crook of the man's neck and ripping his flesh apart with one swift move, Josh has never seen such an obscene amount of blood. He's never wanted to see exposed veins gushing out excessive amounts of plasma onto the glistening pavement and filling the cracks full to the brim. Tyler rips the veins from his neck and sucks the glowing, red mess out of his fresh wound, he licks his lips and savors the taste.   
  
He almost forgets that Josh is still standing there as he goes in for another bite. Tyler finds it humorous that as rotten as the man was, he tasted as rich and extravagant as aged whiskey. Tyler pulls away from the man and lets his body thud backwards onto the ground, Tyler takes a step back and looks down at his shaking crimson hands. "I-I...Oh, god. I'm s-sorry, I tried to hold it in. I couldn't...I couldn't let him-" for the first time since his eleventh birthday, he cries at the sight of a dead man. "I'm sorry." He takes one step back with every word that comes from his stained mouth, he can feel the arteries stuck between his teeth and he drops to his knees. He cries into his soaked palms, he feels as if he let Josh down by showing him what he really is.   
  
"I-I'm a monster..." he whispers in between cries, Josh hesitates before walking to Tyler and falling to his knees beside him. "You're not a monster, Ty...It's just how you protect yourself. I think I get it, it's okay." he comforts, Josh goes to rub Tyler's back but it's quickly swatted away. "N-No, don't say that. Don't lie to me, Josh." He says as he looks up with tears pouring down his face, Josh is trying to have sympathy but he's not sure whether he feels safe of terrified of this man. "What do you mean?" Josh asks, Tyler closes his eyes tightly as he chokes up. "Y-You were g-gonna leave me." he cries, Josh sighs and he feels his heart sink. "I'm sorry, Tyler. It wasn't because of this, I didn't know what you could do." he begins to speak to the boy, he lets his shaking finger graze Tyler's chin and lift his head up to regain his attention.  
  
"You saved Abby, okay? That can redeem you from literally anything, she's all I have left. I wouldn't have cared if he would've just robbed me, or even if he shot me but if you didn't do what you did...I don't even want to think about what he would've done to her." he says to the bloodied boy, the tears have stopped and his eyes look surprised more than anything. His pupils are blown and his lips shutter. "I-I'm sorry..." is still all Tyler can manage to say, Josh can see the honesty beneath the gore and he smiles lightly. "Don't be, it's okay." He pets a hand through Tyler's hair and looks down at the ground. "Now you see, this is where I'd kiss ya but you're a little messy right now." he says with a grin before standing back up and holding his hand out for Tyler.  
  
He still can't believe that after what Josh had just seen, he still wanted to travel with him. But wait, did he just say he wanted to kiss me? Tyler thinks to himself as he looks up with confusion. He accepts Josh's gesture and takes his hand, he's quickly back onto his feet and standing chest to chest with this angel. "Thank you."   
  
Josh nods before turning back to the crime scene, he closes his eyes as he reaches in the dead man's pocket and takes back his wallet. Tyler notices Abby's bear dropped in a mud puddle that is starting to combine with the blood. He whines at the stained possession and he grips the leg once more. "Is there a laundromat near here? I don't think she'd want to see him like this." Tyler adds, Josh turns around and looks at the bear and frowns. "I don't think she'd like to see _you_ like that."

* * *

 Brendon stares at the scabbed wound on his hand and taps his leg impatiently, he's been sitting on the edge of the highway for the past 16 hours. He's ignored every person who pulled to the side to ask if he's alright or if he needed anything, he's ignored the endless honks of people behind him, he's even ignored the sun rise. His eyes stay focused on the road, the painted white lines along the sides have began to fade away along some tire marks. He wonders how many accidents have occurred in this very spot, how many innocent lives have been stripped away in the hands of a mindless drunk.  
  
He can't find himself to care, he just wants to find Tyler before he ends up just like them. He puts his key back into the ignition and he revs his engine before speeding down the freeway, his calloused knuckles grip the wheel tightly and he skillfully swerves his way through the lanes of traffic. Once more, he ignores the honking of horns as he slams the pedal to the floor. His eyes glare at the road intently, he's determined that he'll reunite with Tyler again. Everything's going to work out just fine as long as he plays his cards right.  
  
He's been on the road so long, he's solely forgotten to feed himself. He laughs at the minor detail and quickly swerves to a nearby exit, Once he reaches the corner he's greeted with multiple LED signs promoting their latest fast food specials. He shrugs his shoulder and bites his tongue as he turns into a pizza hut, he's never seen one so packed this early. He figures it might be hungover people catching last nights game on their VCR's, he steps out of his car and walks carefully into the building, it's dark atmosphere fits the smell of garlic and grease. He keeps his head down as he walks up to the counter and orders just a singular slice of pepperoni, once he places his order he notices a woman far in the back decorating a pizza with olives.  
  
Something about her laugh seemed familiar, the way her bouncy black curls fit her face, and the way her cute button nose twitched. He knows that smile from anywhere, Brendon turns his back to the counter and looks down at the floor to avoid Sarah's eyes. His beautiful wife is just a few feet away from him. She's so close yet so far, he's not sure if he should make an entrance or avoid her. She's the reason that he ended up at that damned place. If she really cared, she wouldn't have sent you away. But maybe it wasn't her fault, maybe it was her mother's decision.   
  
"The police are on currently on the look out for two suspects who had murdered a local citizen at the Mobley Bank last night around 2:30 AM. Police have found the victim to have been brutally slaughtered, the man suffered from what seems like bite marks in his common carotid artery. Such a horrifying scene-" the voice of a local, underpaid news anchor speaks from the television above Brendon's head, he looks up with a smirk. He knew his kills was insane but man, did that sound brutal. He looks up to see a screen shot of the surveillance tapes, they show the faces of the two crooks and Brendon's face goes blank.  
  
"The police have identified the suspects as Tyler Joseph and Joshua Dun. The **_son_** of the sheriff is being convicted of involuntary manslaughter and kidnapping, not only are these serious charges but he has also appeared to have committed a hit and run on not one, but two police officers. It's been reported that he had ran a deputy off of the road to save Joseph from being arrested for assaulting an officer, Mr. Joseph was identified to have been one of the higher maintenance escapees from the FPE asylum and is an extremely dangerous threat. If you see either of these men, immediately seek safety and call the police. It's been assumed by the security tapes that they appeared to be exiting towards I-97, stay on your feet, Ohio." She reports, Brendon curses to himself as the woman smiles and looks to their weather man.  
  
At least he knows Tyler's not dead, for that he can be thankful but he can't be happy with the thought of Tyler wanted on the run. He blames himself for making Tyler think that violence is the only thing that can save you.   
  
"One slice, pepperoni!" a woman from behind him shouts, He turns around and grabs the slice of pizza. He looks past the woman and at Sarah one last time before reaching for his wallet and paying. He lays an extra $20 on the counter and smirks, "Give this to Sarah for me, will ya?" he asks, the woman takes the bill and slowly nods with confusion. Brendon backs away from the counter and takes a large bite from the greasy entrée before making his way back to his car and onto I-97.

* * *

Tyler swings his ankles side-to-side as early 2000 hit's play over the quiet speakers above him. He sits on top of an old rattling dryer staring at Josh, the nervous man stands in front of his with his arms crossed and his eyes locked on the floor. Tyler tried to cover most of his face with Brendon's hoodie but he still got a few frightened glances. He takes a deep breath before walking to the restroom and walking inside, it's dirtier than the one at the bank but it doesn't really matter. As long as the water isn't brown, then it's A-Okay with Tyler. He isn't surprised when the water sputters out boiling hot water and has no adjustments to the temperature.  
  
He rolls his eyes before grabbing a generous amount of toilet paper and drenching it before bringing to his mouth and scrubbing off the dried crimson liquid from his lips. The blood stains trail down from his mouth to his jaw and all down his neck, luckily none had touched his shirt regardless of the fact that you'd barely see it through the black cotton.  
  
He looks up at himself after cleaning himself of that monster's remains, he can see his eyes are bloodshot and beginning to form dark circles. He's never seen himself in this condition, it seemed so implausible. He can't decide whether he likes what he sees or not, it's new and euphoric. His eyes never leave the mirror, he scans over every inch of himself and finds something new he likes and another he hates.   
A soft knock comes to the door behind him that knocks him off of his trance. He quickly turns around and opens the door, he smiles when he sees Josh fiddling his thumbs. "Hi."   
  
Josh chuckles and shakes his head, "Hi. Um, Abby's bear is done drying and...well, we need to get out of here. They've got us all over the news, we're screwed." Josh says with some what of a calm panic. Tyler nods his head and steps out of the restroom, he tries his best to contain his smile as he sees Abby hugging her freshly cleaned teddy bear tightly to her chest. "Hey, kiddo. You got 'er all cleaned up." Tyler kneels down as he speaks to the child with a delighted tone. Abby matches his smile and she nods, "He's so warm too, y'wanna feel?" she reaches her bear out to Tyler and he feels his heart flutter. "R-Really? You really want me to-" Tyler stopped his sentence with uncertainty, but she insists with another nod.  
  
Tyler hesitates before reaching a shaking hand for her bear and feeling it's warm fur against his cheek, he chuckles at the feeling before handing it back to the young girl. "I love it." he mumbles to her, she smiles back at him and then looks up to Josh. "I'm ready, Joshie." He nods and grabs her tiny hand, Tyler stands back up and follows after the two to their truck.   
  
Tyler jumps into the passenger with the girl on his lap, before he can set her aside and buckle her up, she reaches for the seatbelt. "I like sitting with you." she giggles, Tyler looks to Josh, he shrugs with a smile. "Just don't let her slip out of the seat and hit her head or something." He says as he starts up the vehicle. Tyler chuckles "Yeah, we wouldn't want that." He says to the driver before he grabs the seatbelt and secures himself and the girl.  
  
As they begin to drive down the domesticated street Tyler stares at Josh's hand, he wants to hold it but he's to shaken up to attempt to. Abigail looks to the radio and asks to play some music as they continued their road trip, Josh simply obliges and flips through the stations until he finds something she likes. It was new to see so many people driving along side them. Yet again, they weren't driving on the freeway at 97 MPH.   
  
Tyler looks out of the window and at all of the old brick building alongside them, each rotting block of stone telling a story. Every building with it's own history, Tyler found it astoundingly different. He wishes he could get used to this scenery. He imagines that he'd live in one of the tall apartment buildings with white walls a minimum amount of furniture. He'd walk 3 miles around the graffitied company buildings everyday just to grab a bagel, he'd own a big soft couch to lounge on as he listens to Josh talk about his day at work or something along that nature before falling asleep in his arms just to do it all again the next day. That's what he's seen in a rom-com movie Sharon showed him every night before he went to sleep so that's his invision of normal is, he knows it's all cliche but it sure as hell sounds like a better life than this one.  
  
He wishes he could've met Josh by bumping into him in the street and have a love-at-first-sight moment rather than in a shady gas station as his maybe boyfriend murdered the clerk beside them. He hasn't thought about how much he's been starting to miss Brendon, his wicked laugh and his messy hair. The dangerous linger in eyes and the sparkle you'd see in his smile, his alluring body and his colorful tattoos.  
  
He knows that Brendon would have an solution for all of this, he'd give him a better life than the hand he's been dealt. He would hold Tyler in his arms and they would share a cigarette as Brendon sings softly in Tyler's ear. That sounds more comforting to him, he can't decide which he wants more. Maybe he's kidding himself with Josh, the vision and life he'd love to have with him would never be possible especially at the rate they're going. Tyler's eyes become glossy as he squeezes the girl closer to his chest, she becomes worried as she looks up at his teary-eyed blank expression. "Ty?" she asks, the question grasps Josh's attention rather than Tyler's.  
  
His eyes drift off of the road and to the boy beside him, he notices Tyler's state and feels his stomach stir. "Hey, you okay?" Josh asks as he looks back and forth from the road to Tyler.   
  
Suddenly everything stops when Tyler's head drops and he begins to sob. Abby is stunned as the man hides his face in his hands, she begins to whimper at the sight of a man losing to himself. Josh's eyebrows raise and he quickly pulls the car over, his hand is instantly touching Tyler's shoulder. "Ty, what's wrong? You've got to tell what's wrong." he insists with the same nickname his sister gave. Tyler pulls away from his touch, Josh's hand retreats and his eyes dart Abby's. Her eyes begin to swell up and her cheeks begin to redden, he doesn't like this one bit. Tyler unbuckles his seatbelt and lifts the girl from his lap, her hands grasp at his shirt as she begins to weep. He sets her onto the seat and his shaking hand reaches for the door handle.


End file.
